


Small Problems

by eclipsingbinary



Series: Small Problems [1]
Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Ensemble Cast, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Ledior Vaude's A+ Parenting, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 52,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27701597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eclipsingbinary/pseuds/eclipsingbinary
Summary: Yami sends out four of his magic knights to investigate a well explored dungeon.  Three of them come back a little different.The story of Yami's adventures in unexpected fatherhood, Asta's sudden promotion to 'not the youngest member of the squad anymore' and Vanessa's new talents in children's toy manufacture.Also featuring unpleasant realisations, child endangerment and a hefty dose of making things better with cuddles and pancakes.
Relationships: Asta & Black Bulls Ensemble, Black Bulls Ensemble & Finral Roulacase, Black Bulls Ensemble & Luck Voltia, Black Bulls Ensemble & Magna Swing, Black Bulls Ensemble & Yami Sukehiro, Finral Roulacase & Luck Voltia, Finral Roulacase & Magna Swing, Finral Roulacase & Yami Sukehiro, Yami Sukehiro & Luck Voltia, Yami Sukehiro & Magna Swing
Series: Small Problems [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191989
Comments: 114
Kudos: 200
Collections: IAmStoryteller's Best of Black Clover Fic Rec





	1. Day 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is pure, self indulgent kid fic. It's what I want to read, so it's what I end up writing. 
> 
> This story is all written, but it needs tidied up before I posting. Expect fifty thousand words of angst, hurt/comfort and hopefully a little bit of humour. Fairytail1230 is the most excellent beta reader aiding me. All the mistakes that are left are mine.
> 
> Couple of trigger warnings before I get started. Expect descriptions of the aftermath of child abuse. There is nothing graphic in the text, but it's alluded to. Also, one of my characterisations would absolutely be diagnosed in our society as non-verbal autistic. There is one meltdown described. I'm hoping that this is written sensitively and does not offend. I've got enough important autistic people in my life to want to see their stories and traits in the things that I read and write.
> 
> If you have any concerns about either of these things, please pop a note in the comments and I can answer any questions.
> 
> And, now that those things are dealt with, on we go.

“Captain Yami, Sir. We have a small problem.”

Yami took a drag on his cigarette and scowled at Asta on the communicator image. 

“You’ve been away for three hours. What kind of problem can you find in a dungeon in less than an afternoon?”

He had sent Asta out with Finral, Magna and Luck before lunch because they were pissing him off. Magna and Luck had destroyed the back staircase in a fire and lightning battle. Asta had pulled down the top of the common room door frame during a marathon pull up session. Finral had, according to him, been ‘minding his own business’. Yami told him he was going because he had not stopped the destruction of their base. But Asta, Magna and Luck had more magic than sense, an equation that also included the idiot with zero magic if you did the math. It had seemed sensible to send them out with someone with a little caution and an escape route.

It was an old dungeon that had been well explored over the years. Yami had been certain that they could not find too much trouble. He should have known better. 

It was Magna’s communication disc. Finral never carried one because he just stuck his head through a portal if he needed to pass on a message and Luck either lost his or fried them with electricity.

So why was Magna not using his own disc? Why had Finral not brought them all home? Why was it Asta reporting a problem? Yami had a bad feeling about this.

“Talk,” he said.

Asta did not get a chance to answer before the image blurred. Someone had pulled the communication disc downwards. A child’s face appeared. A child with familiar dual coloured hair and ill-fitting sunglasses.

“Hey,” the child’s loud, high pitched voice said, “Can I have a turn?

Vanessa was in the room with Yami. She hissed, “Is that Magna?” because Yami’s voice seemed to have abandoned him.

“Oh, hi,” Magna said. “Look, there are people in here.”

When Yami could speak he growled, “Asta. Explain why Magna is three years old.”

He could hear Asta start to reply, but Magna interrupted. “I’m not three.” He pulled the communication disc so close to his face that Yami could see the baby teeth in his mouth. “I’m five. Idiot.”

Shit, Yami thought.

“Magna, give that back,” Asta said. There followed a short scuffle that the teenager must have won. If he had been beaten by five year old Magna, Yami was going to fire him. “Go, bring Luck back over here. Finral, that’s not helping.” There were audible mutterings of child-like voices, but then Asta appeared back in the image. “So, Finral, Magna and Luck might have been turned into children.”

“Might?”

“Well, they have definitely been turned into children.”

“It’s an old, well explored dungeon, short stuff. There shouldn’t have been anything there with that kind of power.”

Asta ran his hand through his hair and even through the bleached lighting of the image, he flushed. “We found a hidden room. We were exploring. Finral said that there was a space between two corridors. Luck said he could feel something powerful inside it. We hit the wall until a door opened.” 

“And then this happened,” Magna chipped in. 

“There was a flash of light from the room and then we were all thrown back. When I got up, I found this thing.” Asta held up a round metal disc about the size of his hand. It was plain, unadorned grey metal. “And when I checked Finral, Magna and Luck, they looked like this,” Asta turned the image round so that Yami and Vanessa could see the others. 

Luck was watching the image. The smile on his face was pure Luck, but it looked incongruous on the small boy. Finral was curled around his knees. Only an unruly mop of light brown hair was visible above his arms. They were wrapped in their own clothes that were all now far too big. Finral had discarded his Black Bulls cloak.

“Show them me,” demanded Magna, and his nose and right eye appeared. 

“Magna,” Asta said with a strained calm. “Go and sit with Finral and find out what is wrong with him. Luck. Don’t move.” Asta’s face reappeared. “I don’t think Finral is going to be able to make us a portal to get home. Could someone come and pick us up? Before… Magna don’t!”

There was the sound of a small explosion, then a child’s squeal.

“It better have worn off by the time we get there,” Yami said.

Vanessa looked conflicted. “But they are so…”

Yami put a hand over her mouth. “Do not say it. I’ll kill you.”

She winked.

\--

Gauche was the only other Black Bull in the Hideout. He agreed to accompany them when Vanessa threatened to burn his twenty-five-page letter to Marie. “Get out of your room and come help or it all goes up in smoke.”

He was a little less sullen when Yami told him the reason for their unplanned trip. “They turned into children?”

“That’s what I said.”

“I suppose I could always come back for my letter to Marie.”

“Get a move on asshole,” Vanessa said.

She consulted a map to direct them to the dungeon. It was in the hills around the Seaward River. It could be done in a two-hour flight with the right tailwinds.

They took the brooms up into a stiff headwind instead. It was going to be that sort of day.

Yami hated brooms. 

“There isn’t anyone else closer?” Vanessa asked. 

“Do you trust anyone else with a tiny Luck? Asta will be fine,” Yami said. It sounded like he was convincing himself, even to his own ears. He pulled out the communication disc. “He can call if there are any problems.”

“He’s going to lose them,” Gauche said. “And they are all going to die.”

The bastard made sure he was on his broom and away from Yami’s fists as he said it. 

When they were flying above the treetops, Vanessa flew close to Yami so that she could talk over the sound of the wind. “Have you ever heard of anything like this?”

“Never,” Yami said. He was thinking of Julius, but that was different. The Wizard King had done it to himself. It did not sound like this was something that his three squad members had wanted to happen. Who would want to be a kid again?

“It sounds like the Amulet of Youth,” Gauche shouted. 

“It sounds like you just made that up,” Vanessa snapped back.

“Dumb woman. It’s real. It's just that no one’s ever found it. When we were researching breaking curses for Asta’s arms, it was in some of the old books we found. A powerful mage created it to take years from your body and disperse them into the mana. Then you could relive those years in your younger body.”

“It sounds like a horror story.”

Gauche ignored her. “It used someone’s magic as the trigger, so that would explain why Asta wasn’t affected. It was supposed to have been destroyed during the first Wizard King’s reign because it was too powerful.”

“Could it be reversed?”

“No idea. They were old texts, and more like a description rather than an instruction manual. Gordon might have read more. We were looking for other stuff at the time.”

“Let’s get them back first,” Yami said

\--

Asta prided himself on being able to handle little kids. You do not grow up in an orphanage with five smaller siblings without learning a thing or two about how to handle children. He was good at entertaining them, could separate them when they were fighting and sometimes even get them to go to bed on time. Under normal circumstances he enjoyed their company.

These were not normal circumstances.

They were also, he decided, not normal children.

Magna was loud, in your face and easy to distract. He told Asta all about himself, his friends his family, how hungry he was, his village, the way the overlarge clothes he was wearing tickled, the best way to pee up a wall, his favourite foods, how hungry he was, what he was going to do when he got his magic and had he mentioned he was starving. Asta tried to be interested, but after being told that his clothes were itchy and he was hungry five hundred times, Asta tuned him out

It did not help that the other two were as quiet as Magna was loud. Finral only spoke to answer the questions that Asta asked. “Yes, I’m okay, thank you.” “I’m five.” “No. I don’t need anything.” Each time Asta spoke to him he seemed to shrink further as though it was possible to make yourself small enough to be unnoticed.

At least Finral would speak. Luck was silent. He never responded to any of Asta’s questions or Magna’s exuberance. Asta wondered if he could hear until he jumped when Magna knocked over the pile of rocks he was building. He never met Asta’s eye and stared someplace in the middle distance whether someone was talking to him or not. He kept smiling. 

Asta nearly lost him twice, and both occasions were Magna’s fault. It turns out that it is impossible to watch an overactive five year old trying to ride a treasure chest with legs while also keeping track of another silent, wandering five year old. On that occasion, Asta only just grabbed Luck before he was in the river. The second time, Magna discovered that fire magic was good for exploding small pieces of pottery. Luck was in the shallows of the river before Asta realised he was gone.

If it had not been for Finral, Asta was sure that he was going to have to explain to Yami why he had either lost Luck or sat on Magna. 

“Luck, please. Just stay here with us for a bit. I know it looks really interesting down there, but there are more interesting things here with me and Magna and Finral.”

Luck’s smile did not change as Asta brought him back to the others. 

There was a gentle tug at Asta’s sleeve. “I could look after him,” Finral said. It was the first time he had initiated a conversation. 

Luck seemed much more inclined to take Finral’s offered hand than he had Asta’s. At that moment, Magna discovered why we never, ever open those treasure chests and was wailing in fright. When Asta had calmed the small boy down at last, and uttered prayers to every divinity he had ever heard of, he checked to make sure that he had not lost both Finral and Luck this time.

Finral was sitting with Luck between his legs. They had a shiny coin on a string that Finral twirled for Luck to watch. The sunlight played on the edges so that it glittered. Luck was watching it with delight, his hands clapping each time Finral set it up to spin again. 

Asta sighed in relief. Finral and Luck were safe. So now the trick would be keeping Magna from exploding something or someone before the others arrived.

Once Magna had been worn out with a jumping contest and was panting on the ground, still managing to declare that ‘I was the winner,’ Asta sat down beside the other two boys.

“How did you know he would like that?” Asta asked as he indicated the spinning coin.

Finral’s reply was quiet. “He was watching the light on the water.”

Of course. That explained why Luck went for the river. Finral noticed everything. “Well, thanks. That was a good idea.”

Finral frowned and looked away. “Anyone would have seen it. It wasn’t anything special.”

Asta would have said more, but Magna grabbed his hand and said, “Mister Asta. I need to go pee. Like now.”

If one needed to pee, it would only take a minute until the others needed too, so Asta made them all go behind a tree and tried to ignore Magna’s demonstration of how to pee up a wall. Finral moved to another tree without speaking, but Luck was more interested than Asta would have liked. 

“Let’s have something to eat then, shall we?” Asta said when he had made them all wash up in the stream. 

Magna shouted, “Yeah, I am so starving.”

Finral took Luck’s hand again and led him after Magna. 

They put their provisions out on the ground. Magna was unable to talk with his mouth full of bread. Luck looked confused by the unknown food, until Finral split it so that they had some each. Luck watched with an intense stare as Finral put a piece of food in both of their hands. When Finral ate his, Luck copied. The smaller boy smiled happily at the new taste and ate his share and most of Finral’s.

“Hi,” Magna said to Finral and Luck once he had eaten his fill. “I’m Magna and I’m five. Who are you?”

Finral glanced at Asta before answering. “I’m Finral Vaude. It’s nice to meet you.” He put out a hand to shake.

Magna looked at Finral’s hand. “What’re you doing that for?”

“You’re meant to shake hands when you meet new people. Look,” Finral demonstrated with Asta. 

“Cool.” Magna seemed delighted with the new greeting. He shook Finral’s hand, Asta’s, then Finral’s again. He was confused when Luck ignored him but dealt with it by grabbing Luck’s hand in his own. 

Luck’s momentary panic was assuaged by Finral separating them both and explaining with the air of a weary teacher. “You can’t just grab someone’s hand and shake it. That’s not manners.”

“He’s not being manners if he won’t shake my hand.”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to. You must ask properly. Like this.” Finral put his hand out towards Luck, who looked at it the way Magna had a moment before. Finral took a moment to make sure that Luck was watching before he demonstrated with Asta. When Finral offered his hand to Luck again, he understood and shook it with more enthusiasm than necessary.

Adult Luck would have shocked Finral. The small boy version did not, which was a relief. 

“Now you try, Magna,” Finral encouraged. 

Magna’s formal introduction of, “I’m Magna and I’m five,” was now accompanied by a proffered hand that Luck shook with a happy smile.

“How come he doesn’t say anything?” Magna asked as Luck now took on practicing shaking hands with Asta and Finral.

“I don’t know,” Asta said. “He used to talk all the time.”

Finral’s brow creased. “Is it because we’re here and we shouldn’t be? I mean, I don’t know any of you. This is not Tota. I don’t know what’s happened. Why am I here? I don’t know where my brother is. My father could come back and then you are going to be in trouble and I’m going to be in trouble and I don’t even know how we got here. And what is that box with legs, and how I’m supposed to get home.” He paused to catch his breath. “Have you kidnapped us?”

“No. You haven’t been kidnapped.”

Magna looked disappointed.

“Why are we here then? Who are we waiting for?”

“Okay, guys, I’m going to level with you. We are magic knights, and we were exploring a dungeon. We found some kind of artefact, that well, turned you from adults to children.” He held up the amulet.

Luck leaned away from it, and Finral looked nervous, “What’s wrong with that thing? You should put it away.”

Magna was more interested in what Asta had said. “We’re magic knights. That is so cool!” 

Once the amulet was back in Asta’s pack, Finral said, “I don’t think that thing could really do what you said. I don’t think anything can turn grown-ups into children.”

Luck seemed bored of the chat now. Finral was no longer entertaining him, so he put out his hand for the coin on the string and spun it himself.

“Why would I lie about this?” Asta asked. “This is weird for me too. And weird stuff happens to me a lot.”

Finral scowled at him, but Magna was getting even more excited. “Am I the coolest magic knight? I bet I’m amazing. Can I explode big things? I bet I’m a way better magic knight than Fifral.”

“My name is Finral.”

“Yeah. Firfal.” Magna stuck out his tongue.

For a moment, Asta thought it was going to come to blows and he was going to have to separate his two senior squad mates. Then Finral sighed and said. “I’m going to sit over here.” He moved away from the others and pulled his knees up to his chest again.

Magna looked thoughtful for a moment, as though he was considering an apology. Asta was about to prompt him when the boy was distracted by the sound of a fish jumping in the river. “It’s a fish. A huge one.”

“Magna, wait, don’t go in the river...”

Too late. 

How long was it going to take the others to get here? Were they going to survive that long?

\--

Yami thought Asta looked very relieved to see them as they approached the entrance to the dungeon. 

“Oh,” Vanessa squealed as she landed her broom. “Look at them.”

Yami looked at them. One frantic teenager, and three small boys. Magna was dripping wet. Finral was tucked into a ball and sulking. Luck was spinning a coin on a string, oblivious to anyone else. 

“They are so cute,” Vanessa said.

“They still aren’t the right size,” Yami said. 

Magna blinked at the newcomers twice then marched up to them. “I’m Magna and I’m five. I’m the best magic knight.” He stuck his hand out to be shaken. 

Vanessa shook the proffered hand. “I’m Vanessa. I’m a magic knight too.”

Gauche looked at the hand as if he wished he could clean it before touching it, not an irrational thought given just how wet and muddy it was. He said, “Gauche. You must never go near Marie.”

Magna tried Yami next. Asta looked like he was waiting for an explosion, but Yami was not a total monster. He would wait until Magna was annoying before exploding. He shook the small boy's hand with suitable seriousness. “I’m Yami. I’m your boss.”

“Wow,” Magna said. “You’re huge.”

“And you are too tiny.”

“I’m taller than Luck and Fipral.”

“My name is Finral,” Finral snapped. He had his arms crossed.

Magna laughed in delight.

“Of course it is,” Vanessa said. She glared at Magna, who only looked a little chastened.

“And Luck doesn’t want to talk to any of you,” Finral said and grabbed the smaller boy’s hand. Luck seemed oblivious but kept his hand in Finral’s.

Asta explained. “I haven’t heard Luck talk at all.”

“Has he fought with anyone?” Yami asked.

“No. He’s ignored us.”

Yami turned to Vanessa and Gauche. “Go. Entertain the kids.” He waved them away while he pulled Asta to one side.

“What the hell happened?”

Asta pulled out the amulet he had taken from the room. “It was like I said. We opened the door and there was a flash of light. I got thrown into the wall. When I got up, they were like that. This was the only thing in the room.”

Yami looked at the amulet. He could feel the mana pulse off it in waves. With that much power, there was no doubt that this was the magical item that had affected his teammates.

“Asta. You keep that. I don’t want anyone else to touch it.”

Asta looked confused but nodded and stuffed it back in his pack. 

“Any sign that they’ve got their magic?”

“Magna does,” Asta pointed out the small burn patches on the ground. “Finral and Luck haven’t shown any sign.”

“And what’s with Luck? Finral and Magna I get, but Luck?”

“I don’t know. He’s not said a word. I don’t think he likes loud noises much, but that spinning coin was Finral’s idea.”

“Do you think the magic did something to him?”

Asta shrugged. “I don’t know sir. But he still looks like Luck. Maybe he was just like this when he was a kid.”

“Maybe. Let’s just get them out of here before something else happens.”

They were interrupted by a squeal, followed by Gauche swearing, then an angry small boy shouting, “Leave him alone.”

Finral was positioned between Gauche and a sobbing Luck. Finral’s hands were on his hips and he was furious. It was like watching a mouse stand up to a deer. Gauche looked a little shell shocked and took a step back in the face of the boy’s fury. Magna was torn between trying to comfort Luck and joining Finral for a fight.

“I never did a thing,” Gauche said.

“You scared him,” Finral said. “He wasn’t expecting you to grab him and now he’s frightened. Stay away from him.”

Finral turned back to Luck and began speaking quietly to him. Magna took this as his cue to take on the role of protector. “You come close again and I’ll explode you all. Mister Asta. I don’t like this man. He scared Luck.”

“Okay, kids,” Yami said. “We need to be taking this indoors. Unless someone wants to make us a portal home.” He did not look at Finral, who was still talking to Luck. “If we are going to get there before it gets dark, we have to leave now.”

This was easier to say than do. Luck continued to sob. Finral would only let Asta approach and Magna decided he was ready to attack any of the other three if they approached. 

“God damn it,” Yami said. “Gauche, go over there away from the traumatised toddlers.” Then he turned to the boys. “Finral, do you think Luck is ready to come with us? We need to go home.”

Finral scowled up at Yami. “No. We’re not going anywhere with any of you. We don’t know you. We don’t even know him.” He pointed to Asta. “He says we were magic knights, but I know that I’m never going to amount to anything when I’m a grown up. I’m never going to be in a magic knight squad. And that man scared Luck. We are not going to go anywhere with you.”

Finral’s parents had a lot to answer for, Yami thought to himself.

Magna said, “Yeah. We’re not going anywhere with them, are we Asta?”

Asta looked apologetic. “Ah, guys, I’m going to go with Yami and the others. We’ve got an amazing hideout in the woods and you’ll love it. There’s a big garden and a huge bath for swimming.”

Magna said, “Wow. Cool.” He turned to Finral. “We should go.”

Finral’s arms were still crossed. “We don’t know who you are,” he said to Yami. “I don’t trust you. He frightened Luck.”

Yami sighed. “Hey, Magna. How about you go with Asta for a minute and let me speak to Finral.”

“No,” Finral said. “We’re going to stay together.”

Magna crossed his arms.

“Okay, kid. If Magna wants to stay Asta should stay too. Sit.”

Asta did as he was told.

Yami sat down a little distance from Finral. “You’re right, kid. You don’t know us at all.”

Finral was not expecting agreement. He put himself between Yami and Luck and glanced around to be sure that Gauche and Vanessa were at a safe distance. 

“But I know you. Your name is Finral Vaude. You’re from an estate near Tota. Your father is Ledior, and your mother was called Hannan, but she died. You have a brother Langris.”

Finral frowned harder. “You could have found that out from someone.”

“I’m not sure if you’ve got your magic yet, but it’s going to be amazing spacial magic.”

“It isn’t,” the boy whispered.

“Don’t believe the people who say that. We are the Black Bulls and we are the best squad. I don’t take rubbish magic into my squad. And we look after each other.”

Finral looked even more unconvinced. He edged further back. Luck had stopped crying and he was looking between Finral and Yami. It was the most aware of the others he had been since Yami arrived. He was vibrating with tension that he was picking up from Finral. 

“Damn,” Yami said. “I could pick you up and just take you.”

“You could,” Finral said. “But you won’t.”

“No. I won’t. I won’t take you or Luck or Magna somewhere you don’t want to go. But if you don’t come with us, we’ll have to stay out here all night.”

Finral narrowed his eyes. It was such an adult-Finral expression that Yami almost laughed. “You would stay here with us?”

“I told you we’re a team, little-Finral. We don’t leave our team behind.”

“So, you’re not going to force us to go? But you’re not going to leave us behind either?”

“No.” Yami lay on the ground with his arms behind his head. “Get comfortable, Asta.”

Finral watched Yami and Asta. He checked that Vanessa and Gauche were out of the way. “How far do we have to go?” He asked in the end. “And none of us are going with him.” He pointed to Gauche.

Yami continued to look at the leaves of the tree. “It’s a couple of hours by broom. And Asta can go with grumpy pants. How do we arrange the others?”

Finral thought. He glanced at Magna. “Magna can go with the lady. Me and Luck will come with you, so I can see what you’re doing.”

“God, you haven’t changed at all. Still cramping my style even when you’re tiny. It’s a deal.”

Magna was delighted to go with Vanessa. She was tolerant of his excited jumping before they mounted. He explained to her what his broom was going to look like when he was a magic knight. Finral was cautious but resolved. He kept his body between Yami and Luck and a watchful eye on Gauche. Yami let Finral put Luck at the front of the broom and he crouched behind to help balance. It took a little time for Finral to show Luck what to do, and in the end it was Magna’s delighted cries from the air with Vanessa that seemed to decide the smaller boy. He allowed Finral to climb on behind. 

Yami could feel the tension in Finral’s muscles as he took the broom into the air. He sensed it was not the flying but the proximity to an adult that was setting the boy’s alarms off. He resolved to be as calm as possible.

That resolve lasted until Gauche tried to take off without Asta. Asta lunged at the broom and caught it before it went too high. They had done this before, but the spectacle made Finral gasp and Magna scream, “You’re going to leave Asta behind!”

Asta yelled that he was fine, but Magna was trying to get Vanessa to go and rescue ‘Mister Asta.’ Finral had shrunk further into himself and was shaking in terror. His ki was broadcasting distress and Luck was beginning to pick up on it again. “You did lie. You’re going to leave him behind.”

“For god's sake, Gauche. Let him on the damn broom. Or I swear I’ll tell Theresa that you’re not to see Marie for a year.”

Vanessa was struggling to keep Magna from leaping off the broom to rescue his friend. “Gauche, I will kill you,” Vanessa yelled. “Hey Magna, it’s okay. He’s going to get on, it’s just Gauche’s joke. It’s okay.”

With a face like thunder Gauche slowed his broom enough for Asta to climb on the back. The teenager smiled and flashed a thumbs up for Magna but the tearstained child was still close to hysterics. Vanessa brought her broom up and said, “We’re going to fly beside Asta and Gauche all the way home, so we can keep an eye on both of them.” Her tone was light, but it had made lesser men than Gauche lose themselves. 

Magna’s gulping sobs eased, and it did not take long for Asta and Vanessa to divert him back to discussion of the ideal broom. Magna’s tastes in broom design had imprinted early it seemed. 

Finral seemed less inclined to diversion. He was still tense. He kept one hand on Luck and did not let the others out of his sight. His fury at Gauche was mixed with fear, but he seemed calmer when he looked at Asta and Vanessa. There was a surge of protectiveness when he checked that Magna was still on Vanessa’s broom. Finral was as easy to read as a child as he was as an adult.

Luck’s ki was almost impossible to decipher. It was as if there was nothing beneath the happy delight at flying. The flashes of emotion and the anxiety that he had picked up from Finral was gone, as if he were living in just this moment. So, on reflection, perhaps not so different from his teenage self after all. 

Neither boy spoke.

They had been in the air for an hour when Yami realised that the chatter from the other broom had ceased. Magna had leant back into Vanessa and his eyes were closing. No wonder the kid was tired, he had never stopped talking and seemed incapable of being still. Vanessa pulled her cloak around him and he snuggled in close. He stuck his thumb in his mouth and soon his eyes were shut.

Vanessa winked at Yami.

On Yami’s broom Finral was sagging with weariness but was not prepared to give in. Luck was still watching the world below and showed no sign of fatigue. 

“You can sleep, kid,” Yami said to Finral.

“I’m not tired,” he lied. 

“Sure.”

Luck went from wide awake to asleep curled against Finral without warning. It destabilised Finral’s position and Yami had to put a hand down to hold him steady. There was a flash of fear in Finral, but Yami kept his position. It took several minutes for the boy to calm his racing heart, but he did not move away. He was still tense and wakeful when they arrived at the hideout.

Magna shifted in his sleep when Vanessa came in to land, but he had curled himself into her cloak. It was easy enough for her to gather the sleeping child into her arms as she dismounted and began to walk to the hideout. Asta jumped off Gauche’s broom just before they reached the ground. He was grinning. “You’re a very good flier, Gauche,” he said.

Gauche growled at him.

Yami kept his broom hovering just above the ground. Finral had tensed again. “Where is she taking Magna?” he whispered.

“Hey, Vanessa,” Yami shouted. “Let’s go in together shall we.”

Vanessa was quick to spot Finral’s anxiety. She nodded and waited.

“Okay, little-Finral. This is our hideout. I can carry Luck inside like Vanessa is carrying Magna. Or I can get Asta to do it? I won’t let anything happen to him.”

The boy considered his options. He was holding Luck with both arms now, so he could not turn to look at Yami. He was wobbly with exhaustion. Asta stood at a respectful distance, ready to help if asked. Good lad, Yami thought to himself.

“I don’t know if I can trust you yet,” Finral said. “We have to stay together. I have to keep them safe.”

“I know. Keeping them safe is your job. But we’re a squad. We can help.”

“Even him?”

“Even Gauche. He’s poorly socialised. We’re working on him.” Yami brought the broom to land and dismounted. “Can I take him?”

Finral nodded and released his hold. He nearly wobbled off the broom but corrected himself in time. 

Luck was tiny in Yami’s arms. He snuffled when he was removed from Finral’s warmth but did not wake. He shifted until he was comfortable in the hold and then breathed deeply in his sleep.

Finral’s dismount was more a semi-controlled fall off the broom. Asta held out a helping hand, but Finral ignored it and managed to sort out his too big clothing. He refused Asta’s further offer of assistance despite his obvious exhaustion. He was swaying as he stood. 

“Asta, make sure the hoards are out of the way. We don’t need to meet everyone straight away.”

“Yes sir.” He scampered ahead.

Luck was so little that Yami could carry him in one arm. He kept the other hand free for Finral, but the boy ignored the implicit offer. He staggered like a drunk but he was determined to manage on his own. His ability to walk in a straight line was being hampered by constant vigilance. He looked between Magna and Luck and towards Asta running ahead without pausing.

Yami realised that the boy’s ki read the same as it had as an adult. He wondered if this was what Finral did all the time? Was this how adult Finral saw the world too? Was he watching his teammates all the time to keep them safe?

Asta was still ushering Gordon and Charmy out of the common area when Vanessa pushed open the door. She placed her sleeping charge on one end of the sofa. Yami tried to extract himself from Luck but the kid latched on with his arms and legs so that it was like trying to remove an octopus. He had no choice but to keep the sleeping child in his arms.

“Vanessa. If you ever say a word to anyone,” he hissed.

Vanessa smiled and said, “Not a word boss.”

Finral climbed onto the other end of the sofa. He kept Yami and Vanessa in sight.

Asta poked his head back around the door. “Charmy’s going to make food.” 

“Right. Come in and let's see that thing again. Then we need to decide what we do next.”

Asta put the amulet on the table. Vanessa leaned in close to look, then pulled back as she was affected by the mana pulsing from the object.

“Have you ever heard of anything like this?” Yami asked.

She shook her head. “We should ask Noelle. Maybe it’s something the royals know about. And Gauche said he thought Gordon might remember something about the Amulet of Youth.”

Finral was still watching them. Yami said, “Hey, little-Finral. Are you okay with meeting some of the others?”

The boy nodded. His eyes were huge, and he was only awake by effort of will. Magna murmured something in his sleep.

Noelle was leaning against the wall just beyond the closed door when Asta went to fetch her. She tried to protest that she had been there by accident, but it must have sounded flat even to her ears. 

“Oh, my god,” she whispered with her hands over her mouth when she saw Luck tucked into Yami’s chest. Then she squealed when she spotted the others on the sofa. 

Yami hit her with his free hand. “You wake them up, you die.”

Finral inspected her with a slight frown. The womanising must have come later in life. Noelle held out her hand to be shaken and said, “I’m Noelle.”

Finral climbed off the sofa, still wobbling with fatigue. “I’m Finral,” he said and shook her hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

It seemed that Noelle was struggling to keep her squeal in with her free hand. She did manage to squeak out, “A pleasure to meet you too. I know you when you are bigger.”

“Yeah. When I’m a magic knight,” the boy said with heavy sarcasm. He turned away before Noelle could respond. 

“Little-Finral doesn’t believe that they were all magic knights.”

“I don’t not believe that Luck and Magna were magic knights.”

“Okay. Finral doesn’t think he was a magic knight.”

“But,” Noelle said. “You’re an amazing magic knight. You're my superior.”

Finral scowled at her too. 

“You frown at any more people, your face is going to stick like that, grumpy,” Yami said. He found he was missing Finral’s usual light-hearted banter. Maybe he would look less like Langris on a bad day if he had a sleep.

Of course, the kid just frowned harder.

“So, Noelle, know anything about this,” Yami asked. He waved at the amulet on the table. 

Noelle leaned in to look just as Vanessa had done, then stepped back with a grimace. “That’s a lot of uncomfortable mana. Have you been carrying this around with you?” 

“Asta’s going to look after it for the moment, I think. So, any ideas?”

“I’ve only ever heard of one thing like this but was in a story. My nanny used to tell me about an amulet that could return lost youth. It was made by a good sorcerer who wanted to use it to heal people and keep everyone young. But it was stolen by an evil wizard who used it for himself. Other evil people came to challenge him for it, but they were all beaten and killed because the evil wizard used the amulet to heal himself and become younger. But then the good sorcerer came to challenge him because he knew how to defeat it and reverse its effects. They had a battle, and the good sorcerer defeated the evil one. He took the amulet and hid it so that no one could ever use its power again.”

“Did the story say if he hid it in a dungeon just down the Seaward river?” Yami asked. “And how do we reverse the effects?” 

“No idea. It was just a fairy story.”

Yami sighed. “This is going nowhere.” Luck responded to his voice by wriggling and trying to squeeze in closer. “I’m not waiting years for my squad to grow up.”

Vanessa nudged him and indicated Finral. The boy looked horrified.

Shit, what had Yami said? 

He was interrupted from trying to deal with that by Gordon’s entrance. He inspected the amulet, showing the same distaste for the mana as everyone else apart from Asta. 

With an effort to be audible, Gordon said, “This sounds like the Amulet of Youth. We found descriptions when we were in the magic library. There may be more information there.”

“Okay,” Yami said. “So, this is the plan. Tomorrow, Gordon, take Gauche and go to the library. Learn everything you can from there. Noelle, go speak to your old nanny, or anyone else you can think of that might know more details of that story she used to tell you.”

“I’ll speak to Mimosa too. She might remember something.”

“Get Gray to go with you. She needs practice.”

“Yes sir.”

“And the rest of us are on babysitting duty. In the morning I’m going to call in a consultant.”

Finral had fallen asleep curled into a corner of the sofa, and Yami was not going to wake him to find out what had upset him. Whatever it was would look better in the morning. 

Asta brought blankets that they used to cover the sleeping children. Yami was only able to remove Luck with Vanessa’s help. She placed him beside Finral. With the unerring heat seeking ability that he was known for even as a teenager, Luck attached himself to the other boy and sighed. Without waking, Finral put a hand in the blonde hair.

Vanessa stood back and whispered, “I never, ever want to forget this picture.”

“Yeah,” Yami muttered. “They are kind of cute.”

\--

In a tower far away, an elderly hand pulled back from the paper drum he had been reading. The mana detectors were dancing as though in a breeze. After all these years, he had the proof. The Amulet of Youth was real and had activated this afternoon. He had spent the rest of the evening triangulating its position

He pulled out the last of the potion bottles he had saved for this and swallowed its bitter contents. With new strength he packed the devices he needed into a travelling bag and took his broom from the wall.

“After all these years,” he whispered to himself. “I cannot lose it. My life is almost done. I need to find it in time.”


	2. Day 2

“Mister. Mister. Mister huge. I forgot your name. I need to pee.”

Yami had meant to just doze in the common room overnight. Someone would have to keep an eye on the tiny people and he had slept in much worse places than the common room. He had napped most of the night, but every time he opened his eyes, the children were fast asleep. In the early hours he must have fallen into his own deep slumber because the small voice and accompanying tugging hand woke him and he could not work out what was happening.

“Mister. I really need to go now.”

His brain caught back up again as he opened his eyes and saw Magna’s familiar dual coloured hair on the head of a small child. The hand tugging on Yami’s shirt belonged to the same child.

“I don’t think I can hold it any more.” Magna was doing an awkward sort of dance from one foot to the other

Yami’s brain recalled yesterday’s disaster, then skipped ahead to this new, impending disaster. “Shit, Magna. I’ll show you where the toilets are.” He paused. Where were the toilets if you didn’t have a portal to take you? Obedient spacial mages could make you lazy. “Scratch that. I have no idea where they are. Go outside and we’ll find them later.”

“Where’s outside?”

At least the front door was always in the same place. Yami thought he might have to ask Henry to keep the toilets nearby for a while. 

“Big door there.”

“Cool.” The boy danced off, but could not get the door opened on his own. Yami pulled himself up and opened it for him. The sun had not quite risen but the sky was beginning to lighten.

“What about you two?” he asked Finral and Luck.

Both boys were awake. Luck took this as his cue to climb off the sofa, so of course Finral did the same. “I can wait until you find the toilets.” Finral said in a cool tone.

Luck was bouncing like Magna had been though, so Finral reached out a hand for Luck to hold. Without looking at Yami, Finral led the boy outside.

Magna was mid-sentence, as if he had continued to talk even without an audience. “... and look, I think I’m going to pee forever. It’s going to go on and on. Bet you can’t do a pee as good as this Mister Huge.”

Yami said, “I’ll let you have this one Magna. And my name is Yami.”

“Cool, Mister Huge.”

Luck followed Magna’s example. Finral stood to one side and said nothing.

Getting them back inside was more tricky than getting them outside. “Can I go and see the trees? And what's around the back of the house? Can we play here? I bet I could climb those trees and beat you to the top Mister Huge. Could we do that now please? I would….”

“No,” Yami said. Did the kid ever stop talking? “We go in, we get you guys some clothes that fit then we get breakfast.”

“Yeah. Come on Fipral. Let’s go.”

“My name is Finral,” Finral muttered, but Magna was already racing back to the house. Luck squealed with delight and ran after him. 

Finral walked back without looking or speaking. So, he was still suspicious of the whole thing. And sulking just like he did as an adult.

The communal toilets and washroom were not hard to find, and close enough to the kitchen for Yami to be able to wait there while the boys sorted themselves out.

Rookie mistake, Yami thought to himself ten minutes later when the door swung open and Luck’s joyous laughter filtered in. Finral emerged soaking wet and furious. He let the door close behind him.

Still without a word, Finral glared at Yami as if he was responsible for his current state. He marched into the kitchen and climbed onto a chair. 

“You’re going to make me sort that out, aren’t you?” Yami said, staring at the washroom door with trepidation. 

Finral crossed his arms. 

Yami took a deep breath and went to see what was going on.

Would he be in trouble for using dark magic on two shrunken magic knights? Magna had climbed on top of the sinks, and was filling three. Two were already overflowing. Luck had discovered that closing off the tap with his finger forced the water to jet across the room onto the stall doors. He was picking up how to change the direction, so Yami got a face full when he entered. “Right,” he yelled loud enough to shake the windows. “That’s enough!” 

Both boys froze. The laughing stopped. 

Luck carefully took his hand away from the faucet and Magna turned off the taps. They both stood at attention. Magna looked contrite and Luck twisted his hands in front of him. 

Water continued to drip from most surfaces, including the human shaped ones as Yami said, “Now, how are you going to get this place cleaned up?”

It was the first time that Magna did not have an answer. He kicked his feet in the puddle. 

“Shit, I thought you pair were trouble as teenagers. Turn off all the water and let’s go get dry.”

Magna’s silence lasted until they were out of the room. That was perhaps a record. “We could mop that up for you. It would be clean in no time. And I’ve got fire magic so I could probably get it dry for you too.”

His chatter continued, but Yami ignored it as he considered the idea of the toilets being both flooded and burnt to a cinder at the same time. 

He marched them to the kitchen and made them sit at the table. He handed them bread and cups of juice, “I like juice, this is nice stuff Mister Huge. Could we have this bread toasted for our breakfast and I’d like an apple too.” Then he paused and looked around. “Hey, where did Finral go?”

Finral’s seat was empty. Damn.

He must have heard the shouting. Too late, Yami remembered months trying to break Finral out of the habit of hiding on the roof whenever someone raised their voice in the base. It had taken a lot of work and something Julius called exposure therapy.

“Do you think he’s angry at us? We didn’t get him too wet. Well, not so much. I know we shouldn’t have done it, but it was fun.”

Yami thought he was beginning to get the knack of ignoring Magna's words while still pretending to listen.

There was no way he could leave this duo to hunt for Finral. Who knew what disasters could happen in a kitchen, and Charmy would be less forgiving than subsequent users of the flooded washroom would be. 

But now Luck had noticed the missing boy too. He put down his food and started tugging Magna’s hand. 

“We’ll look for him in a minute. Finish off eating first,” Yami said.

“Luck thinks we should look for him now.”

Was it not time that someone else should be waking up? Asta was usually up early, and Vanessa would want to see the tiny people again. Noelle. Even Gordon. Maybe not Gauche. 

“It’d be like a big game of hide and seek, only we’ve got to find one person. I bet I could find him the fastest.”

Yami did not think so. If little-Finral was anything like his full grown self, he was capable of hiding from everyone until he decided to come out. 

“Let’s just wait until someone else comes and then we can split up and look for him,” Yami suggested. 

Luck shook his head and rocked on his heels. This was about to become a problem.

Magna might not have Finral’s sensitivity, but he translated, “Luck says we need to look for Finral right now.”

Just in time to prevent a meltdown, Vanessa arrived and said, “Hi, Magna and Luck. Is there a reason Finral’s on the crockery cupboard?”

Yami turned and saw the boy huddled on the top of the seven foot cupboard. He had tucked himself into a tight crouch and was watching with enormous eyes. He looked like a small owl. Magna saw him and shouted in delight, “Hi Finral. How’d you get up there. That’s amazing. Can I go there too? Can you help me, Mister. Seeing as you're so tall, it would be dead easy.”

Yami sighed in relief. He gave Vanessa a look. “Maybe. You’d have to ask Finral.”

Vanessa nodded, but she knew better than to make a fuss. “Well, boys. I got you some clothes that should fit better than what you’re wearing now. And they’ll be drier.” 

She lay three sets of clothing identical to their usual uniforms on the table. Magna was fascinated, but Luck hung out at the bottom of the crockery cupboard gazing up at Finral and fidgeting with his sleeves. Vanessa was helping Magna out of his wet clothes, so it was up to Yami, “Hey, little-Finral. You ready to come down and see what Vanessa’s got.”

A very small voice in reply said, “Are you angry? Did you hurt them?”

So that had been the problem. Yami knew that Finral had issues. Hey, they were the Black Bulls and issues were part of the badge. But this was laying them all out for everyone to see. 

Yami sighed. “No. I was angry, but I’m not now. And even if I was, I wouldn’t hurt them. I won’t hurt you.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I know you don’t, but we can ask Magna? Hey Magna, did I hurt you because of the mess.”

“What?” Magna seemed confused by the idea. “Why would you hurt us? It was just a bit of water. You should come and see this stuff that Miss Vanessa made. There’s one your size. Look at mine. I’ve even got the coolest sunglasses.”

Yami muttered, “Vanessa, you didn’t?”

She gave a sly grin. “They’re great, aren’t they Magna.”

The glasses were an adjusted pair of Magna’s usual purple lenses. The lenses were slightly too big, but she had managed to tighten so they only looked a little ridiculous. Perhaps they were an improvement on the originals. 

“You haven’t got sunglasses Finral,” Magna said, putting them on. “Sorry. But you could borrow these ones for like a minute maybe. Luck you should come see too.”

Luck still was not prepared to leave his position. He took Yami’s hands in his and pushed them up towards Finral. It was the first time Yami had seen him initiate contact with anyone other than Finral and Magna. He might not talk, but he was able to make himself understood. “I’m trying Luck,” Yami said to the boy. Then, to Finral, “See, Luck’s worried. I can help you down if you want, or I can get Vanessa?”

“I don’t need any help,” Finral said. Which would explain how he had managed to get up there on his own in the first place. He scrambled around and climbed down by hanging almost on his fingertips then let go to drop the rest of the way. 

Luck grabbed Finral’s hands and pulled him towards the table with their new clothing. 

Now that the crisis was over, Asta and Charmy arrived. Charmy seemed to not notice that three of her teammates were now smaller than she was. “Good morning. There’s a lot of noise here. Did everyone get some breakfast? I was thinking I’d make pancakes. Good morning Finral. You are a bit wet. Magna, Luck.”

Finral stared at her. “Hello,” he whispered.

“So the usual then everyone,” she announced, and started to prepare her usual five hundred pancakes.

Magna was desperate to show off his new clothes to Asta. He demonstrated each item and chattered away. Asta was appropriately impressed. Finral helped Luck pull off his too-big clothes and Vanessa handed him each item to tug over Luck’s head. Luck tolerated the whole thing quite well, only becoming antsy when Vanessa tried to help. She took her cue and stepped back to leave the work to Finral. Once Luck was changed into his new outfit, Magna showed them off to Asta too.

“Can I put these on in the bathroom?” Finral asked Vanessa. He had had no issue with the various states of undress of the other two, but perhaps it was different when it was yourself.

“Yeah,” Vanessa said. “I’m sure it can’t be that wet.”

“Sure it can,” Yami corrected, giving the washroom door a scowl, but Finral had gathered his clothing anyway.

Yami poured himself a coffee. “Isn’t it their bedtime yet?”

“Only another fourteen hours to go,” Vanessa said as she fetched her morning wine.

The smell of pancakes drew the rest of the squad to the kitchen the way it always did. Noelle was dressed in travelling clothes and Grey was nervous, but resolved. Gordon grabbed a handful of pancakes for him and Gauche to eat on the way to the city. Gauche had either decided to stay away to prevent arguments, or because he was sulking. Yami guessed the latter.

Magna was delighted with Noelle and Grey. Especially when Grey demonstrated her magic by turning into Magna, then Yami then Vanessa. Yami put an end to the show when Magna started shouting outrageous requests. Magna showed Noelle his new clothes and demanded to know everything about where she was going and how and why. 

On the other hand Gordon shocked him into silence for at least sixty seconds. He came to stand beside Asta and his eyes never left Gordon’s face. Gordon muttered to himself, but made no attempt to push himself onto the boys. Luck ignored everyone in favour of multiple pancakes with as many toppings as Charmy could fit on them. 

Finral returned wearing his miniature uniform and slipped onto a chair in the corner of the room with the best sight lines. He nibbled the pancake that Vanessa gave him, but did not take any more. He watched everyone in the room, but did not speak. His gaze kept returning to Luck and Magna.

In all, it was one of the squad’s least traumatic breakfast experiences.

\---

Yami excused himself while the others were still eating, not missing how Finral watched him leave with narrowed eyes. 

Once Yami was in the quiet of the common room, he pulled out the communication disc to contact Marx. He looked as harried as usual, but took Yami’s call and passed it on to Julius.

Julius was fascinated. Of course he was. Even if Yami had not needed the Wizard King’s insight to help fix this, he would have told him because he knew how excited the magic-nerd would be about it.

“So, they have physically become children, without their adult memories and personalities. Intriguing. And there is no sign that they remember the past fifteen years. I’ve only heard the same rumours your team has told you about the Amulet of Youth, but I’ll have a check on some of my texts before I visit. I’ll see if Owen is available. It would be important to confirm their ages and that there are no other deleterious effects.”

“Other than them being tiny.”

“Precisely. We don’t want them to become any younger, for example.”

“Shit, Julius. Don’t even want to think about that. They’re enough trouble at this size. They flooded a bathroom before breakfast this morning.”

“I’d like to see the device as well. I think you’re right to keep it with Asta. If it did not affect him then he would be the safest pair of hands. It hasn’t shown any sign of activity?”

“It’s got these strong pulses of mana coming from it. He’s the only one who can bear to be near it and I’m not going to touch it. It’s got no markings, just a circle of beaten metal.”

“None of your knights touched it.”

“Not according to Asta, who’s the only one to remember anything about it. He said they just opened the door, there was a flash of light and bam, three tiny magic knights. Asta wouldn’t be able to feel the magic of course.”

“Perhaps it overloaded due to being stored underground for all this time,” Julius mused, then shouted to Marx. “Marx. I’m going out this morning. See if Owen’s free to come with me.”

Marx’s response was lost by the communication disc. 

“Another thing,” Yami said. “Be careful with them? Magna’s on course to break the word a minute record, but Luck and Finral are… different. I don’t think Luck talks, and Finral’s like an stressed parent.”

“Hmm. That may indicate that it is a true regression rather than a kind of transformation magic.”

“Not sure that I understand what that means.”

“Well, if they were only childlike versions of themselves we would expect them to exhibit similar traits to their adult selves. If they are truly regressing to their childhood, then it is likely that some of the things that they grew away from have returned.”

“Like that Luck could speak yesterday.”

“It is an important distinction. To take a person physically and mentally back to an earlier time is orders of magnitude more powerful than simply making their brains behave like children. It might be some kind of time magic. Do they have their own magic?”

“Magna’s got his, and it’s what you’d expect from a five year old. We haven’t seen any sign of Finral or Luck’s. I found Finral on top of the cupboard earlier, so if he starts making portals we’re never going to find him. And Luck’s likely to kill us all.”

“It sounds exciting. We’ll see you before lunch, providing Owen can get away.”

Damn Wizard King. He closed off the connection.

“Vanessa said that we had to ask you,” Magna said as soon as Yami poked his head back around the door. “Can we play in the garden now? I wanna climb those trees. Are there wild animals in the woods? Can Asta come and play too?”

Vanessa was grinning. She was slipping the food back that Charmy kept piling on Luck’s plate. The boy looked like he might have eaten his entire body weight in pancakes and sugary toppings. 

“Sure, kid. Just, I don’t know, stay near the house so we know where you are and don’t burn anything down.”

“Yeah! Come on Asta. Let’s go! I’ll race you. Firpal and Luck, you coming too?” Magna did not wait to hear the answer. Asta ran after him.

“Does he know my name is Finral?” Finral said. He sounded bemused.

“Yeah Finral. He’s messing with you,” Vanessa explained.

“But why?”

“He did the same to Asta. I think it means that you’re his friend.”

Finral looked just as confused. “Friend?”

“Yeah,” Yami said. “Mister Motormouth likes you, little-Finral. Do you want to roll Luck out of here and go play too?”

Finral looked at his hands. “I’m not sure how to do that.”

“Well, rolling Luck was a figure of speech, seeing as he’s eaten so many pancakes that he’s practically round.”

“No. I mean, I’m not sure how to play. My father says… well. And I have to look out for Langris or he might get mad. I’m not explaining it very well. I don’t know what Magna means and...”

“Shit, kid. Look, those guys aren’t anywhere near here. And if they were, I'd beat them back to Tota with my sword. So how about you take Luck with you and go and practice playing. If climbing onto the cupboard is any sign, you might beat Magna at those trees.”

Finral gave a small smile. It was the first that Yami had seen since arriving at the dungeon yesterday. 

“Go. Before I change my mind.”

Finral put out his hand to Luck, who grabbed it as usual and let himself be dragged away. Before Finral left the room, he turned back and said, “I knew you hadn’t hurt them. I don’t know how I knew. But I knew.”

When they were on their own, Vanessa said, “I’m starting to think that Finral is a better adjusted adult than I thought he was.”

“I know what you mean,” Yami looked at the closed door. “I want to kill his parents.”

“I’ll help with the bodies.”

\--

If the shouts from outside were any guide, Asta, Magna and Luck were having a wonderful time in the garden. Yami was brave enough to have a quick look out a window in the hope that he wouldn’t disturb whatever they were doing. Vanessa had made them balls from her threads and Asta was pitching them for Magna and Luck. Magna was good with the thick branch he was using as a bat and returned nearly all of Asta’s throws. Luck found it hilarious when a ball flew towards him. He was dodging around picking up the ones that Magna missed. As Yami watched, Luck threw his collected pile back to Asta and hit him with each one. 

It took a moment of searching to spot Finral. He was lying on a thick branch watching the others. He made no attempt to join in, and Asta was astute enough to not force it. But as Yami watched he saw that same small smile cross Finral’s face. 

Yami used the temporary respite to mop up the water from the bathroom. On this one occasion, he would let Asta off cleaning duties.

\--

Yami was drinking his coffee in the garden and watching the children when Cob’s ostentatious portal appeared before lunch. The ball games had finished and Magna was trying to compete with Finral in tree climbing. It would only have been a more uneven match-up if Finral had challenged Magna to a talking faster race. 

Finral could climb any tree that Asta suggested. He was like one of the spider monkeys in the forests south of the capital. Magna threw himself into the task with the same enthusiasm that he showed for everything, but could never manage more than a few branches until he misjudged and landed on his ass. He showed no animosity at being beaten in a competition of his own devising, and soon he was pointing out new trees for Finral to scale. Magna was cheering him on, and even Luck glanced up from a small spinning top that Vanessa made for him.

Finral’s initial reluctance had been overwhelmed by the force of nature that was five year old Magna. He was grinning as he attempted climbs that had Yami cringing. Even when a branch broke he just grabbed another and smiled more. 

Finral was back onto thicker, lower branches when he startled as though something was tugging at him. He lost his balance and fell out of the tree, but it was not too far to the soft grass. He was staring at the point the portal opened before it became visible to anyone else. 

The Wizard King, all thirteen years of him came first. At least he was wearing clothes that fitted him today. He was followed by Owen.

Yami was still watching Finral, so he saw the excited expression flit across his face, before it was replaced with the kind of determination that meant a limit was about to be surpassed. He got up and walked to Owen and the Wizard King and said. “Is that spacial magic? Is it for… for transportation?”

Owen goggled at the small boy, who was obviously Finral Roulacase to anyone who had ever met him. The Wizard King smiled. “Yeah. It’s a pretty good spell, isn’t it?”

“But it’s, it’s just transportation.”

“And yet,” Julius said. “It is an excellent spell..”

Yami came to stand beside the boy. “Close your mouth, goldfish.” 

Finral snapped his mouth shut. 

“Transportation and portals are an awesome use of spacial magic. Anyone says anything else will feel the edge of my sword, yeah?”

Finral did not answer. He was watching the portal as it vanished and he shivered. “I’m… I’ve got to get Luck,” he whispered.

Julius watched as he made a hurried retreat. “You're going to have to watch him, Yami. He knows his magic and he was very good even before he got a grimoire.”

“Well, great. Just what we need.”

Magna nearly crashed into Yami in his rush to join them. His hair was full of small leaves and branches. He stuck out a muddy hand. “Hi, I’m Magna. I’m five. Who are you? Why are you here? Do you know me when I’m a magic knight? How come you're a kid? Have you come to play with us? I'm great at climbing trees, but Finral is better. Luck is no good at trees.”

“Nice to see you, Magna,” Julius said and shook the offered hand. “I’m Julius. I do know you when you are older. You’re an excellent magic knight with good fire magic.”

Magna looked like he might explode with pride. “Why are you here with an old man?”

Julius grinned and introduced a sheepish Owen. “This is Owen. He’s a recovery mage, and I asked him to come and meet you now that you are smaller than you used to be.”

“Well, I’m very healthy, so I don’t think I need a recovery mage. I ate all my breakfast, but not as much as Luck who ate enough pancakes for like a hundred people. Probably that’s why he’s no good at climbing trees because he’s so full of pancakes. Do you want to come play too? It’s time to do another game. Asta has the best game ideas and we could ask him.”

Without waiting for an answer, Magna ran back off to the others. He was shouting, “Asta, we need a new game to play. The old man is probably too old, but there’s a new kid and he could play. But no more trees. Firral is too good at trees.”

Finral’s quieter reply, “My name is Finral,” was still audible over Magna’s continued chatter.

“That was some introduction,” Julius said with an amused grin. 

“I don’t think he’s stopped talking since he woke up. I’ve stuck Asta to him and we’ll see who runs out of energy first.”

Yami led them to the stone bench beside the trees that he had been using earlier. “You said there were three,” Owen said.

“Yeah. You’ve met Luck?”

“The blond with the lightning magic. The, what was it they said at the magic exam, the cheery berserker?” 

“That’s the one. Well, he's different. Not that he wasn’t always different, but he’s never said a word. He seems to understand just fine. He won’t let any of us get close, but he’s attached to Finral. Or he’s let Finral attach to him, it’s not clear which. Except when he’s in mischief, then that’s still a Magna and Luck thing the same as it was when he was a teenager.”

Luck was lying on the grass ignoring the newcomers. He had the spinning top twirling close to his face so that the small mirror beads flashed in the sun. Finral sat cross legged nearby like a wary cat. He continued to stare at the newcomers. Luck shuffled closer and grabbed Finral’s hand to tuck into his hair. He never took his gaze away from the top.

Magna bounded back with Asta in tow. “This is Julius and he’s met me before. But he’s still a kid so we should let him come and play with us. But not trees. Could I show him the bat and ball? I bet I’d beat him at that.”

Asta said, “Maybe we could later, but I think he’s here to speak to Captain Yami.”

Magna snorted. “No one wants to speak to Mister Huge when they could be playing proper games with us.”

“I think Julius and Owen are here to find out how to get you back to being proper sized magic knights.”

“They can do that after they’ve played ball with us. Isn’t that right Julius. You want to come play with us and then you can talk all grown-up magic stuff after.” Magna tilted his head to one side and gave a doe-eyed look that would have melted harder hearts.

“If you agree, Julius, your head can be the ball,” Yami murmured under his breath,

“Why not then,” Julius said despite Yami’s threat.

“I can’t believe you did that.”

Magna whooped with joy. “Come on Asta, you pitch first.” He grabbed Julius’s hand and pulled him towards the batting area. “You’ve got to hit it far enough so that no one can catch it. I’ll go first so that I can show you how to do it.”

Magna’s impromptu game of baseball did more to relax Finral than any technique that Yami might have tried. Vanessa and Yami were drawn in too. Owen demonstrated that even though he was a ‘really old man’, he could still bat out the field. Finral had to be sent up a tree to fetch the ball. Julius was so terrible that Magna started giving him pointers.

Finral took a turn at batting. He never missed the ball, but he did not have the power that Magna had. Luck watched them all and laughed so hard when Yami missed his hit that he might have missed more just for the reaction. 

Charmy called them all in for lunch. Magna’s disappointment at the end of the game was assuaged by the offer of sausages and burgers. He raced after her with Asta in tow. 

Julius was watching Finral hovering around Luck again. Once Luck had collected his spinning top, he grabbed Finral’s hand without waiting for it to be offered this time and pulled him after Charmy. 

“It’s fascinating,” Julius said to Yami. Vanessa and Owen joined them. “They are, to all purposes, physically and mentally children. I’ve never heard of anything that could do that so thoroughly. I’d like to confirm that this is what they were like as children, rather than some approximation based on their adult life experiences. If we could speak to someone who knew them as children, that would help.”

Yami considered. “I don’t think Magna has any family, although maybe there’s someone in his village that remembers what he was like as a kid. Luck’s mother died when he was young, and I think he was pretty much thrown out by anyone else he might have called family.”

Vanessa could sense where this was going. “You know who you have to speak to then, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. Little ass.” 

Owen figured it out too. “Langris has matured recently. You might find it an easier conversation than you think.”

“It’s either Langris or his father,” Vanessa pointed out.

“When you put it that way,” Yami said, but he could not disguise his distaste. Langris was bad enough, but speaking to Ledior Vaude was likely to lead to bloodshed. Yami seethed at the thought of the boy hiding on top of the cupboard and the question, ‘Did you hurt them?’

“Langris is younger than Finral. It’s possible he doesn’t remember what Finral was like at this age, but it’s worth a try. We need to find out as much as possible about the spell if we are to have any chance of reversing it,” Julius said. 

“Great. I’ll need to eat first though. I think Vangeance is away, but maybe that fancy pants pal of Asta’s is about.”

Owen and Vanessa went into the mansion, but Julius put a hand on Yami’s arm to hold him back. “Finral said years ago that his father beat him because I asked if Langris’s had a brother. I got the impression it was not the only time.”

“Yeah, I figured that much. He never speaks about it.” 

“It would explain the constant watchfulness. I wonder if he’s protecting Luck the way he tried to protect Langris.” 

“I can’t imagine that perfect Langris needed much protection.”

“Perhaps not, but if you're the scapegoat it can divert negative attention from a sibling. It was always a dysfunctional family. I’m just saying, Langris might not have understood what was going on when they were children.”

“Shit, people are complicated Julius. You sure you don’t want to speak to him.”

Juluis gestured at his youthful face, “Looking like this? I can’t imagine that would go well.”

“Point taken.”

After they ate and then fixed the kitchen after Luck and Magna’s attempt to help clean up, Vanessa suggested the boys do something quiet for a while. Yami had to agree, seeing the way that Luck’s head kept nodding and Magna’s yawns. Magna only wanted to go if Asta came with him.

“I need to borrow Asta for a bit,” Yami said.

Magna wailed. 

“But I’ll give him back soon. Maybe Vanessa can read something to you?”

“Don’t want to,” Magna sobbed. “I want to play with Asta.”

“Hey, Magna,” Asta soothed. “I’ll be done real quick. You can wait for me. How about you and Vanessa go and set up some cards to play. You can teach me the games that you know when I’m finished with Captain Yami.”

The boy wiped the tears and snot, then flung himself onto Asta. “I want you to come and play.”

“Soon, yeah.”

“You promise. You won’t forget? You won’t leave?”

Asta knelt in front of the sobbing boy. “Magna. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Yami is the Captain and he needs me for something. But he knows that I’ve promised I’ll come back, so I won’t be long.”

Finral took Magna’s hand, so that he had a boy on each side. Luck was fiddling with his seams again. Yami recognised it as a sign of worry even if his expression never changed. 

“Asta isn’t the kind of person to break a promise,” Finral said. Then in a harder tone, he added, “Are you Asta?”

There was something about that voice that made it clear there would be serious consequences if Asta broke his promise. 

“Definitely not. Go with Finral and Vanessa and I’ll be around real soon.”

Magna was still crying, but silently now as Vanessa led them to the common room.

Owen said, “That’s both a tired and tiring child.”

“He woke us up before daybreak,” Yami said. “Serves him right.”

“While they are quiet, I’d like to do an examination to confirm that they are healthy and there are no signs of health problems. This might be my best opportunity.” Owen held up a hand to stall any objections. “I won’t force anything onto them, and even if I can manage two of the three, that’ll give me plenty of information. The game of baseball proves they are physically fit anyway.”

“Hey Asta,” Yami asked when Owen had left, “Do you have a way to get in touch with your fancy pants pal? I need to speak to Langris.”

“Yes sir. I’ll go and get it. Although, I’m not sure if Yuno will know where Langris is. They don’t really get along.”

“I think that’s just Langris. I don’t blame Yuno. But it’s worth a try before I go and bang on the Golden Dawn’s front door.”

Asta returned with a small communication disc. “You’ll need to put the magic into it, Sir.”

Julius pulled his chair out of the disc's line of sight, so only Asta and Yami would be visible to anyone on the other side. It was bad enough that the child Wizard King had just disclosed his condition to more of the Black Bulls without more of the Golden Dawn finding out too.

Yuno answered the disc on the third attempt. He was sitting at a desk with two large books in front of him. “Asta,” he said. “Captain Yami.”

“Hi, Yuno,” said Asta. “We need to talk to Langris. Do you know where he is?”

“I think he’s at the base today. I can find him. Is this the same thing that Noelle wanted Mimosa for?”

Asta glanced at Yami to check for the small nod before answering. “Yes.”

“Interesting. Does it need to be a private conversation too?”

“Yeah, that’s maybe best.”

Yuno frowned. “I’ll get him. I’ll call you back. Asta. Captain.” He closed the connection.

“He’s still not much for small talk, is he?” Yami said.

Asta rubbed his neck and said, “No. That's just how he is.”

It took five minutes for Yuno to return. He had Langris with him. Yuno’s normally impassive expression was creased with a frown. “Captain Yami, I found him.”

“What is it you want?” Langris said when he turned the communication disc to face him. “I trust you’ve interrupted my afternoon for an important reason.”

Yami felt the hairs on his neck stand on end. The kid had barely said anything and Yami wanted to punch him. He made himself feel calmer by replaying the memory of Finral doing just that during the Elf attacks. It worked too.

“I need to ask you something about your brother.”

“Something he is unable to answer himself? Why?”

“He's indisposed at the moment.”

A flicker of concern crossed Langris’s face. It was gone in an instant, but he said, “Is he well?”

Maybe there was hope for him after all. “Yes, he’s well. Just different.”

“Captain Yami, do not waste my time. Either you are prepared to explain what is going on with my brother, or you are not. I have no wish to play riddles with you.”

Yami leaned forward so he was closer to the image. He pulled on the black magic for effect. “Finral and two other magic knights were turned into five year children. I need to know what Finral was like when he really was five, so we can work out what kind of magic it is. Blunt enough, punk?”

Langris’s wide eyed expression was almost comical. Yami chose to ignore the sharp intake of breath behind Langris. It was Yuno’s communication disc. Yami would have hung around too.

“A five year old?”

“Yes. Short, opinionated, inclined to climb things.”

Langris swallowed. “May I see?”

“I think that would be awkward. He’s been told he was an adult and now he’s a child, but he’s a little fuzzy on the details. I’m not sure that I’ll be able to explain why you’re suddenly an adult too.”

“I understand.” Langris paused, then said, “Captain. Does… does our father know about this?”

“No. And I think it should stay that way.”

The young man’s tension eased a little. He nodded. “Thank you. Yes. That would be best. What do you want to know?”

“We need to know what he was like when he was a child. I get that if he’s five, you’d have been younger, but anything you can give us to confirm that we’re looking at a true five year old Finral and not some mixed up magic transformation.”

Langris nodded. “I think I understand. Well, the climbing sounds like him. He used to climb everything at home when we were young.” He was thoughtful for a moment. “It used to make father so angry. He used to hit him, but Finral wouldn’t stop. Maybe he couldn’t stop? I don’t know. In the end my father used to tie a rope around his ankle and attach it to the furniture.”

Asta’s sharp intake of breath was echoed on Langris’s side. Yami heard Yuno say, “He did what?”

Langris was gazing past the communicator image. “Yeah... I haven’t thought of that in years. Finral used to panic and pull at the rope until it rubbed away the skin underneath. I told him that would just make it worse and he’d be better off just waiting until our father cut it off. I…” he stopped and stared at Yami. “That’s not normal is it?” he whispered.

Even with the discolouration of the communication disc, Langris suddenly looked very pale. Yami was glad that Yuno was listening. How did Julius know this, Yami thought. Finral had not been the only kid messed up by that family.

“No,” Yami said. “It’s not normal.”

Yuno appeared at Langris’s side, and for a second Yami remembered that he and Asta had the same loving childhood. Asta would never leave someone so upset, and it seemed that Yuno had been brought up the same way.

Langris swallowed. “Is he… is he getting in the way.” He started again. “I mean. You said there were other knights who turned into children. Is he stopping people getting to them?”

Yami just nodded.

“He was always getting in my parents’ way. My father’s way. I used to think.” Langris stopped, then started again. “I used to think he was clumsy, or just antagonising them for kicks. I thought that for a long time. He would make them so mad and I’d get angry too, but I don’t think that was the reason at all. Maybe he was trying to protect me? I have tried not to think about this for a long time.”

Yami said, “If it’s anything like how he’s behaving now, then yes. I’d say he was protecting you.”

“Oh. Damn,” Langris whispered. He didn’t shrug Yuno’s hand away from his shoulder. He was quiet for a long time, like he was lost in memories.

“When we got older, he used to disappear for hours into the gardens. I think by then he realised that father and mother were not going to do anything to me. But when we were small, he was always the one getting beaten. I broke a dish once, and he told my father it was him, even though we knew that he’d get so much more angry with Finral than me. My father hurt him badly. I think something got infected and he got sick, but they wouldn’t get the healers. My father said he deserved it.” Was that a sob? “I wasn’t allowed to see him, but I sneaked in and he looked so ill. I was angry at him. Father said it was his fault, and he had lied, so I thought it was too. He was really just trying to protect me.” Langris was staring somewhere far away.

“Langris,” Yami stopped him. “Langris. You were a child. You weren’t supposed to be able to work that out.”

Yuno gave his shoulder a shake, and Langris trembled. “Damn it.” He wiped a hand across his face. He took a deep, steadying breath. “Sorry. That’s not what you asked. You wanted to know what he was like when he was five.”

“I think you told us what we needed to know.”

“You didn’t want to know my family’s dirty secrets though, did you?” 

“Langris. You’ve helped. He is doing exactly what you describe. Listen, have you met Luck?”

“He’s the blonde one that smiles all the time, right?”

“That’s the one. Finral is keeping watch of him like he used to do for you.”

Instead of relief, Langris looked stricken. He whispered, “Is... Does Luck appreciate it?” 

Yami thought of the small hand taking Finral’s and tangling it through his hair. The way that Luck fretted at Finral on top of the cupboard. “Yes. Luck appreciates it.”

“Good.” He stood. “Thank you, Captain. Will you please keep me updated on my brother’s condition.”

“Of course, I’ll…”

Langris had not waited for an answer. He walked away and the sound of a door opening and closing indicated that he had left the room. “I’ll give him this communication disc,” Yuno said and switched it off.

“Shit,” Yami said. 

“Poor Finral,” Asta whispered. “Poor Langris.”

“Never thought I’d be agreeing with that sentiment. Will Yuno keep an eye on him?”

“Yeah. I think so. We never had much as kids, but no one ever did that to us. Poor Finral.”

“So, Julius. Did you get your answer?”

Julius had tears running down his face. He wiped them with his sleeve. “Yes. I think that clears up that this is a true representation of Finral aged five. It is a time spell rather than some kind of transformation. But even if I had my magic, I don’t think I could reverse it. There has to be another way.”

“Did we just break Langris for no reason then? We already knew we were going to have to reverse the original spell.”

“On the contrary. We now know more about what the original spell was, and that will help us learn how to reverse it. I think that we need to find out how the amulet worked. Will you show me it?”

Asta pulled it out and lay it on the table. The same pulses of mana surged from it. The Wizard King inspected one side, then had Asta turn it over so he could see the back. “I’d like to take this back to the Capital and do some further experiments with it. Its power is obvious.”

“Will you be okay doing that, Sir?” Asta asked. “It’d be really bad if you got any younger.”

Julius laughed. “Yes it would. I’ll be careful Asta. I’ll keep it covered and won’t touch it. Although despite the power coming from it now I’m not sure if there is enough for such a powerful time spell. It’s almost as if it’s in a holding state. Shall we join the others?”

Yami found he was needing to check up on the children. Speaking to Langris had unsettled him more than he thought it could. 

\--

Owen and Vanessa put their fingers to their lips as soon as Yami opened the common room door. She pointed to the sleeping Magna on the sofa with his thumb stuck firmly in his mouth. “Do not wake him up,” she hissed.

Luck had a pile of small balls made from Vanessa’s threads. He was lining them up in size order, away in his own world. Occasionally he would flap his hands at something that excited him, but was a mystery to everyone else. Finral was, as always, nearby. He had a large book balanced on his lap. It reached beyond his knees. He looked up as the others entered, then ran a quick visual survey of the room before going back to reading.

“How did that go?” Vanessa asked.

“We got what we needed to know,” Yami said. He would explain more later.

They sat and Vanessa poured tea. Owen gave his report, “I was able to do cursory examinations on all three of the boys. They are, on the whole, healthy children aged between four and six. Magna is exactly as he appears. He is well adjusted if a little exuberant. He’s a credit to whoever is bringing him up, because I am exhausted after an hour. Vanessa told me he had a scar on his head which is now absent.”

Yami looked at the boy. He had not even noticed the absence of the scar, but it would make sense if he was now only five. Magna once claimed it was from saving children from a burning house, but Yami had it on good authority that it was a result of flying his first broom into the door of his home. Having met this Magna, that story made so much more sense.

Owen continued in a lower voice. “Finral is healthy, but I did find a heart murmur that he’s never had before. I’d guess a recent infection, perhaps a rheumatic condition. He also has a number of suspicious injuries.”

“Let me guess,” Yami said. “There are signs of beatings, and rope burns around his ankle?”

“Round both ankles,” Owen confirmed. “Also one wrist. There is faint bruising on his legs and back in positions that would indicate they were inflicted by another person trying to keep them concealed. I assume that these are not injuries that can be explained by his recent activities with the Bulls?”

“No. So it is a time spell. I will kill his father,” Yami growled. “The only thing holding me back at the moment is I’d like to suggest Finral and Langris come and watch.”

Vanessa looked surprised, “You want Langris to watch?”

“Later. I’ll tell you later.”

Finral was looking at his book with the care of someone trying to eavesdrop.

“Luck, aside from the obvious mutism and behavioural idiosyncrasies, is physically healthy. He managed the examination with Finral’s assistance quite well. He’s perhaps a little underweight, but nothing that would raise concerns. I would propose that we are simply seeing Luck as he was as a young child. Such traits are not uncommon and in themselves not of concern. It is simply who he is. So long as he is happy and content, I see no reason to force him to be anything other than that. His communication is quite skilled for someone not using verbal language. His receptive understanding is at least age appropriate and he is quite capable of performing tasks when his focus is engaged.”

“So, you think this was just how Luck was when he was five?”

“I’d tend to estimate he’s closer to four, although that might just be because he is smaller than the others. There is no reason that a child aged four or five with Luck’s personality traits wouldn’t develop into a functioning adult.”

Vanessa giggled. “No one, but no one has ever called Luck a functioning adult.”

“It might explain a lot,” Yami said.

“So, medically, all I can suggest is feed them well. Plenty of fresh air. Accept that there may be unrecognised trauma from more than just the change in their ages. If I might suggest, it would be acceptable to just let them have fun until you have a more permanent solution to their predicament.”

“Understood. I think we can manage that.”

Finral sensed the end of their conversation. He closed the book on his knee and placed it on the table. He walked up to Yami and asked, “You said Langris. My Langris?”

“Yes. Your Langris.”

“I know if I’m to believe that I was a really an adult, then Langris is also grown up. Is he okay?”

“Shit, kid. Langris is fine. I told him what happened, and he’s a bit shocked, but he’s okay. One of Asta’s friends is looking after him.” Not totally a lie, after all.

“Is he… is he still in Tota?”

God, this family. “No. He’s a magic knight in the Capital.”

Finral checked the other adults in turn, who each nodded. He seemed convinced, or at least less sceptical. “If that’s true, that’s good. Thank you.”

He walked back to his book.

\--

Julius and Owen made their farewells without waking Magna. The amulet was wrapped up in layers of Vanessa’s strongest cloth, then packed in a small bag for Julius to carry. Asta offered to take Finral outside to see the portal open again. The lure of the magic was strong enough for him to trust Luck to Yami and Vanessa’s care, but it did not stop him giving them both a severe stare before he left.

“What are we going to do with them?” Vanessa asked.

“I think we do what Owen suggested. Let’s just keep trying to find out how to reverse this, but let’s be their family too.”

“Langris knew about the rope burns on Finral’s ankles, didn’t he?”

“He said his father used to tie Finral up to stop him climbing on things. Finral would panic and try to pull the ropes off.”

“Damn,” Vanessa cursed.

“I know. I don’t think Langris had ever realised what that meant. They’re a messed up family, for sure.”

“So, we do everything we can to make Finral feel safe, which means keeping Magna and Luck safe.”

“Yeah, and if we ever meet Ledior Vaude and his wife, we kill them.”

“Agreed.”

The peace was disturbed when Asta and Finral returned and the closing door woke Magna. The child went from silence to full speed chatter almost before he opened his eyes.

“Asta, you came back. Just like you said you would. Were you and Finral doing something good? Oh, Luck’s already here. Were you out? I need a pee. I promise I won’t play with the water this time, can I go by myself. I’m five. I can manage on my own now.”

“Are you sure?” Yami said. “No mess this time?”

“No, Sir, Mister Yami. Asta, do you need to go too? You can come with me. I can help if you need help, I’m a good helper.”

Asta agreed, because despite Magna’s assurances, no one was convinced that he could manage on his own, and no one believed that he could do it without flooding the room again.

Finral was lost in thought as he walked back to his seat and the book again. Yami asked, “What did you think of that portal then?”

“It was big,” the boy said, sounding thoughtful. “It went to the city. I could feel it. I’d like to do that one day.”

“Has your magic come yet?”

“No,” he said. Perhaps a little too quickly, but Yami was not going to push. 

“Maybe soon. Portals are amazing.”

Finral looked unconvinced. He positioned himself close to Luck again and watched Yami. 

“You are a suspicious kid aren’t you,” Yami said.

“I don’t know if I can believe you.”

“Yeah, you said that. Go back to your book.”

When Magna returned he was only slightly damp. Asta had water dripping from his hair, but Yami decided it was better remaining unexplained. Magna bounced on his toes. It seemed that a nap had recharged his batteries. “Can I choose a bedroom? What’s for dinner? I’m hungry. Can I go and see the wild animals in the dungeon? Asta says they’re really friendly.”

“How am I meant to answer all those questions?”

Magna grinned. 

“Okay, how about you and Asta go explore the mansion? He can give you the tour. Finral, Luck? Do you want to go too?”

“I’d like to do that, please,” Finral agreed. 

Luck gazed at the small balls of thread longingly, but stood and found Finral’s hand.

“I think you can take those with you,” Vanessa said. She created a small bag for the little thread balls, much to Luck’s delight. He placed each ball in the bag, again in order of size. He refused her offer of assistance but his hands flapped in excitement as he worked so no-one wanted to take away his enjoyment in the task.

When he finished, he pulled Vanessa’s hand to get her to stand up. Then he placed it in Finral’s left hand and then took the right for himself. He was so serious about it that neither Finral or Vanessa looked like they had the heart to object. Yami laughed at them. 

“Guess you’re going to. Finral, look after them both.”

Finral blushed, but nodded.

Magna had contained his excitement for long enough. “Come on Asta, show us the base. I want to see everything. But the animals first.” He dragged Asta out and the others followed. 

The common room felt very quiet. Yami enjoyed his coffee in peace, but maybe it was too quiet? The base’s communication disc buzzed and made him jump.

It was Noelle. She did not have much to report, but confirmed at least Mimosa remembered the same stories. She had made arrangements to visit the old nanny’s the next day, and would ask her brother over dinner this evening. Yami told her to contact Marx if she found anything interesting.

“Did the Wizard King visit?”

“Weird magic is his special interest. He’d have been pretty disappointed if he couldn’t come and see. He’s taken the amulet to the Capital to see if he can learn anything else about it.”

“Captain Yami,” she paused before continuing. “Are Finral, Magna and Luck okay?”

“Owen checked them over. They seem to be healthy five year olds. Magna only stops talking when he’s asleep, Finral is the most suspicious child I’ve ever met, and so long as Luck has something shiny he’s good. But they seem to be okay.”

Noelle gave a sigh of relief. “That’s good. Not that I was worried or anything, of course. But Langris walked past when I was saying goodbye to Mimosa and he looked really upset. I’ve never seen him like that. I thought that maybe something was wrong with Finral.”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with Finral that aging 15 years won’t fix. As for Langris, he just got a bit of a wake up call, that’s all. Was Yuno with him?”

“Yes. Mimosa said that normally they can’t seem to stand each other, but Yuno looked sort of worried about him.”

“Langris will be okay.”

“That’s good. I’ll call tomorrow and let you know if I find anything else. I’ll tell Marx too.” She closed the connection.

Gordon called not long afterwards. It would have been an easier call if Gauche had been speaking to them, but he was still sulking.

Gordon was in front of a pile of books. They seemed to have had more success than Noelle. He mumbled through describing some ancient texts with illustrations that looked similar to the amulet. Even without the whole explanation Yami could see that the pictures showed words inscribed on it. 

“Do you think the writing rubbed off,” Yami asked, interrupting what was probably something very pertinent, but inaudible.

Gordon answered. 

At last Gauche grabbed the communication disc. Yami smiled to himself. He knew Gauche would not have been able to tolerate too much of this.

“I’m still not speaking to any of you, but we found out plenty about the Amulet of Youth. It’s all in old texts from the first Wizard King’s reign, so some of it’s difficult to decipher. When Nero gets back, we could do with her help. But even without her, we can tell it was created to take years from a subject's life and store them within the device. They could be held there for some time, then returned or discarded depending on what side of the amulet was placed on the subject's skin.”

“Shit, that’s great Gauche. Good work.” Yami said.

“I know, but Gordon says that the amulet Asta found doesn’t have any writing on it. So we don’t know which side puts them back to normal and which side discards the years into the mana. Much as I don’t care, they were a little less annoying as adults.”

“It’s good information though. Good work both of you. I gave the amulet to the Wizard King, so maybe there is a way to tell which side was which...”

Gauche’s expression had fallen, then he looked at Gordon.

“What’s wrong,” Yami asked, with a sinking feeling.

“Captain, you need to bring it back....”

The door of the common room flew open. Asta was panting on the other side. “Something’s wrong.”

“What is it?”

“They… Finral and Magna and Luck, they just…”

Gauche was shouting from over the other side of the communicator. “While the years are still inside the amulet, it needs to stay with them. Else their bodies will start to break apart.”

“Understood,” Yami said. He thumbed off the communicator and then switched to call Marx. 

As he waited for it to connect he said, “Talk Asta.” 

“Magna and Luck just collapsed. Finral’s still awake but, it’s like he’s in pain.”

“Bring them here. Gauche says it's because the amulet needs to stay near them. I’m going to get it back.”

Asta dived back out of the room while Marx’s face appeared. “Captain Yami. This is getting to be a frequent…”

Yami interrupted. “I need to speak to Julius. Now.”

“Well, I think he’s in his office, I can get him if you want, but…”

“Now Marx! It’s urgent.”

“Well, there is no need to shout.”

“Marx. Please. We need that amulet back in the base, now.”

Marx was hurrying despite his displeasure, but not damn fast enough. 

He reached Julius’s office at the same moment that Asta and Vanessa returned. “Julius,” Yami said, “we need the amulet back…”

Because oh, shit. Did they ever.

Vanessa was carrying Magna, unconscious in her arms. The boy was unnaturally still. Asta had Luck in the same state, with Finral clutching onto his back shaking like a leaf. Yami lifted him off while the two unconscious boys were laid on the sofa.

Finral squirmed in Yami’s hands, “Yami,” he whispered. “Hurts.”

“Yeah, we’re fixing it Finral. Just wait a minute.” He put the boy down and he curled into himself and shook. Tears ran down his face.

“Wha’s wrong Luck ‘n Magna?”

“We’re fixing it.”

Julius had seen from his end of the communication disc. Yami heard him say, “Of course, I’m on it, Yami.”

“Yami,” Asta said, “I think Luck’s having a seizure.”

The small boy’s body was convulsing. His face was contorted into a grimace and spasms ran through his muscles. There was blood on his lips. “Shit,” Yami whispered.

Finral was still aware enough to say, “Luck. Wha’s happening to Luck?” He tried to move, but his muscles were not responding and he almost tumbled forward. Yami caught him. 

“Damn, Finral. Stay still. He’s not okay, but we’re working on it.”

“Need to… need…”

“I know. Just stay still.”

“I,” he managed to say, then pitched forward into Yami’s arms. He was burning up.

Asta had turned Luck on to his side and tucked a cushion under his head, but the seizure did not abate. 

Finral was unconscious, which was easier than watching him in distress. 

What was delaying Julius, Yami thought as he picked Finral up and placed him beside Magna. It was even more frustrating that it would have taken Finral himself half a second to grab that amulet and bring it back through a portal. Instead they had to wait for Julius to find a spacial mage in the capital who knew the base. “Julius,” Yami shouted. “If one of my team dies because you can’t find a spacial mage capable of making a portal I will…”

“We’re nearly there,” Julius shouted back.

Asta ran his fingers through Luck’s hair. “He’s really hot,” he whispered. 

“Yeah, Finral too.”

Vanessa nodded as she checked Magna. She checked his pulse at his wrist too and said, “Way too fast.”

Yami confirmed the finding at Finral’s wrist. The pulse was rapid and weak. Asta nodded too.

“Shit,” Yami cursed. He ripped the small cover from the table into three pieces and soaked them in water from the jug beside the tea things. Whatever was happening seemed to have progressed further with Luck, so he gave the first one to Asta to use. Luck’s whole body was rigid, so Asta had to hold the cool compress to his skin. It made no difference.

There was a tightening of Magna’s muscles, and Yami knew he was about to seize too. Luck’s movements were slackening but it felt like a bad sign rather than a relief.

Then, a flare of mana from the garden.

There were three breaths before Luck’s body relaxed. Magna curled over onto his side and sighed. He stuck his thumb into his mouth. 

Finral’s eyes fluttered open. “Yami,” he muttered. 

“Yeah kid. I hear you.” Yami brushed the sweat soaked hair from the boy’s eyes. “You back with us?”

“Is Luck? Magn’?”

Yami helped him up to sit. He was unable to manage on his own and wobbled so badly that Yami had to hold him upright. “Luck’s bleeding?”

“We’ll get him cleaned up in a minute. God, you scared us.”

Finral put a hand on Magna’s shoulder, but could not reach Luck despite trying. He was still too uncoordinated. Yami put out his hands and lifted the boy. For a second he felt the little body stiffen in fear then relax just as quickly. Yami deposited him in the middle of the sofa where he could reach both of his companions without trying. With a hand on both Magna and Luck’s legs, he lay back onto the cushions and closed his eyes.

“Asta? How is Luck?” Yami asked.

“I think he’s sleeping. His heart rate is back to normal. He doesn’t feel so feverish.”

Yami sank back onto his heels. “Well, let’s never do that again.”

“I need a drink,” Vanessa said.

“What happened to them? Did you get any warning?”

“Nothing. Magna dropped mid-word. You said it was because of the amulet.”

“Gauche said that the missing years were being held in the amulet, and it needs to stay with them or…” he did not want to use Gauche’s words ‘the body starts to break apart, “or I guess that happens.”

The room door burst open again and Julius entered at a run just as Asta had. The Wizard King was out of breath, but he clutched the small bag that Vanessa had given him to hold the amulet.

He took in the sleeping boys on the sofa and the countenance of the others in the room before he breathed easier. “So, I wasn’t too late.”

Yami said, “We’ll tell you when they wake up. Luck had a seizure that only stopped when the portal opened. So it lasted way too long. And I’d rather Finral didn’t remember what that was like, but, yeah, I think we’re okay.”

Julius collapsed into a chair. “I’m sorry. I should have thought that taking the amulet away might cause problems.”

“We only knew because of what the guys found in the library.”

Yami flicked on the communication disc to call Gauche and Gordon. Gauche answered. “Are they okay?” He asked. He was flushed like they were running. Gordon appeared at his shoulder. They were no longer in the library.

“Yeah,” Yami said. “It was hairy for a bit, but whatever it was has stopped. Finral woke up, but the others are sleeping.”

“Not that I care,” Gauche said, while Gordon mumbled.

Yami just smiled. Whatever, Gauche. They had been running from the library to the Wizard King in case the Bulls could not get through from this side. “I know. Good job,” Yami said. He saw Gauche’s frown deepen, so he knew he had been seen through.

“The Wizard King is here. Do you think you can fill him in on your research? I’m going to get a drink.”

By the time he returned with drink and food from the kitchen, Gauche and the Wizard King were geeking out over the illustrations from the old documents. Gauche and Julius. Now that was a combination to strike fear in the heart. It was easy to forget just how smart Gauche was underneath the sister complex. 

Yami put out the food on the table and poured drinks. He handed the first to Asta. The boy still looked pale and unsure. He was still sitting beside Luck and kept glancing at the children warily. “Drink,” Yami instructed.

“But, I’m underage,” Asta said.

“You look like you need one kid. Don’t argue.”

“Drink up,” Vanessa raised her cup. 

“But, Luck, Finral, Magna…” Asta stumbled as he accepted the glass. 

“Yeah. They nearly died,” Yami said. “We don’t know if there are going to be any lasting effects. We can deal with it in the morning. Tonight, we drink to forget.”

“Yes Sir.” Asta downed his drink.

Yami kept Vanessa and Asta’s glasses refilled, but let his drain and did not add more. Someone needed to stay sober. They did not know if there were going to be any lasting effects and someone needed to keep a clear head if any of the children woke. Julius accepted a glass too, but declined another.

It was inevitable then that Asta fell asleep curled up on the floor at the foot of the sofa where Luck was sleeping. Vanessa still held her empty cup while she slept on her chair.

“Is this what it felt like, taking me in?” Yami asked Julius as he watched the three small boys and the sleeping teenager. Magna had made himself comfortable by stretching out like a starfish, but the thumb was still stuck in his mouth. Luck had not moved. He was still too pale, and of them all, Yami was most concerned about him. A seizure that long could cause complications. Perhaps he would ask Owen to check him again tomorrow.

Finral was still propped up on the cushions, so Yami gently moved him down to lie beside Luck. It was as if Luck had been waiting for his presence. He sighed and turned over in his sleep to attach himself to his sleeping companion. Finral’s hand found Luck’s hair and he began moving his fingers through it as he had done this morning. Luck snuggled in closer.

Maybe they were going to be okay after all.

Julius said, “Yes, Yami. This is exactly what family feels like.”

The two men sat in silence. In the end Yami said, “Did you learn what you needed to?”

“I think your two researchers are right. The evidence seems to suggest that the years are trapped up in the amulet. It’s simply a case of skin contact to reactivate it. One side returns the years, the other discards them into the mana. My investigations indicate that there isn’t much power left in it. It is holding the years stable for the moment, but I think once those have been dealt with it will become inert.”

“So, we just have to figure out which side is which?”

“I think so, but I do not think there is any sense of urgency. We need to continue our investigations.”

“What about just picking at random. Fifty-fifty odds aren’t bad.”

“Yes. Gauche suggested that. Quite pointedly. Once we have explored all other options it may be worth the attempt, but I think there are other avenues to explore first.”

“In the meantime, we’ve got to keep the amulet here, with them.”

“Yes. It was about four hours before they became unwell. It could be less time if it happens again. Let’s not risk it.”

“Agreed.” Yami looked at Luck and shuddered. The child did not need another seizure like that. 

Julius yawned and said, “I had better get back. Marx is going to worry.”

“Look, Julius. Thanks. For this. I know you were as quick as you could be.”

“You need to get your spacial mage back, Yami.”

“Yeah. I know.”

After Julius left, Yami carried Asta back to his room, then woke Vanessa enough that she could stumble back on her own. 

Before he went to sleep though, he pulled out Asta’s communication disc and thumbed it on. “Langris.”

Langris was dishevelled, but showed no sign of just waking. “Captain,” he said. “Do you have news?” Yuno was slouched on the other chair in the room.

Yami could have told Langris about the situation, but that was not why he had called. “He’s sleeping. I wanted you to see this.”

Yami turned the disc to face the children. Luck had tangled himself up in Finral, and Finral’s hand was still tucked into Luck’s hair. In the image it would be impossible to see that Luck was still pale, but Yami guessed that Langris would only have eyes for his brother. “I told you that Luck appreciated it.”

Maybe Langris had been drinking too, because that was a sob this time. “Thank you Captain,” he whispered, then shut down the connection.

Yami should speak to Vangeance about giving Yuno a raise.

\---

The old man had investigated the whole dungeon. It was well explored, so he could not explain the emergence of the amulet here. Then he found the door to the secret room. The walls resonated with the amulet’s residual mana. It had been found and activated in this room. 

And it had been taken. He cursed. His joints ached despite the potion that he had taken before left his tower. He walked back outside and rested at the entrance with his bag of magical devices held close. It had been found and taken. It could be anywhere. 

If he had not stopped at the door, he would have missed it. There was a uniform cloak from a magic knight squad discarded at the entrance. Its emblem was a black bull.


	3. Day 3

Yami remembered that he had planned to give the night shift to someone else before daybreak the next morning. About the same time that Magna said, “Mister. Mister Yami. I need to go pee.”

“You know where the toilets are Magna.”

“Can I go on my own?”

“Yeah, kid. Just, you know, come back dry.”

“Sure thing, Mister.”

Yami was about to close his eyes again when he heard quiet sobs. It was too early for tears, surely. He sat up. 

Luck was still curled around Finral fast asleep. It was Finral crying.

“Little-Finral. What’s the matter?”

“I was dreaming,” he whispered. “Luck died.”

“It was a dream, kid. Look. He’s okay. He’s right beside you.”

“He was sick. You were frightened. I didn’t want you to be frightened. You’re meant to keep us safe, but you couldn’t keep Luck safe.”

There was no way that Yami could disentangle Finral from Luck, so he ran his fingers through Finral’s hair and said, “It was a dream. Go back to sleep. I’ll keep Magna quiet.”

The tears stopped. The boy was a lot more trusting half asleep. He gave his small smile. “No one can keep Magna quiet.”

“I was thinking of giving him to Asta.”

Finral blinked sleepily. “That’d only work if Asta wasn’t here.”

“You see my plan. Go back to sleep.”

“Yeah. Okay sir.”

But even Magna was dazed when he returned from the toilets and did not object to being told to lie down and go back to sleep. It was weird, but Yami decided he would not worry until the sun was up. But he did not sleep and watched the boys instead.

Asta was bleary and hungover when he stumbled into the common room at a more sensible hour. He checked the sleeping children, then curled onto one of the chairs and hid his eyes behind his hands. “What did I drink last night?”

“Enough.”

“Is this what Vanessa feels like every morning? I think I want to be sick.”

“She’s developed a tolerance.”

Asta peeked an eye out from behind his fingers to look at the children. “Are they okay? This is later than they slept yesterday.”

“Magna and Finral have been awake but they went back to sleep. What happened last night must have affected them, but I hope sleep and breakfast will fix it.”

“Yami. That was one of the scariest things that’s ever happened to me. And I’m including all the scary stuff that happens to me all the time. I could fight devils and elves and things, you see, but when Luck started to… I didn’t have anything I could do to help.”

“Yeah. I get that.”

“I want them to get up again and be like they were so my brain stops playing that on repeat.”

Magna was stirring at the sounds of voices.

“Asta. Good morning.” It was still a little more subdued than the Magna they had met yesterday, but he crawled out of bed and over to Asta’s chair. He climbed up and hugged the older boy. “We didn’t finish our tour yesterday. I never got to find my bedroom. I’m hungry. Do you think we could have pancakes for breakfast again?”

Asta went green at the mention of pancakes. “I think I’ll have a drink of water instead.”

“Are you not well? Everyone likes pancakes,” he glanced back at Finral and Luck, still asleep. “Mister Yami. Are Finral and Luck okay? It’s morning and time to get up and they are still sleeping.”

“Something happened to all of you last night. That’s why you don’t remember the rest of the tour. Luck was pretty sick, so he might need to sleep longer this morning.”

Magna considered. “And Luck needs Finral to keep him safe at night, you see. So that’s why Finral is sleeping late too. If I’m up first, can I get the first pancakes?”

“I don’t see why not. Let’s leave Asta to feel sorry for himself with the sleepy heads.” Yami felt a little guilty sticking Magna onto anyone that hungover. Especially as he had been the one filling the glass.

“Thanks Mister Yami. Will the sheep lady be there?”

“She was scarce after lunch yesterday, so who knows. Let’s go see.”

Charmy was in the kitchen already. She declared to Magna that there was no way they could have pancakes two days in a row, so this morning she was making waffles. She gave him the first one, and he perked up. They had missed their dinner last night, so perhaps the flagging spirits were caused by hunger. 

Yami found himself missing the quiet, a little subdued Magna by the third waffle.

“These are great. I bet a waffle would make Asta feel better. I think a waffle would make me feel better from about anything. Except if my head got chopped off or I was dead, I guess. What are you going to have on your one? You could have strawberries and sauce like me. Do you like strawberries? I do.” 

Yami filtered out the rest.

“How about you stay with Charmy and help with the waffles, and I’ll take some through to the others.”

“Yeah. Could I help you Miss Charmy?”

“Yeah, Magna. Come stand here with me.”

Yami still was not convinced that Charmy had noticed anything different about her teammates. He took a plate of waffles and some of the most sugary toppings he could find, remembering Luck’s pancake monstrosities yesterday.

Finral was awake when Yami returned. His wide eyes were watchful, but he had not moved from his spot tangled in sleeping Luck’s arms and legs. Asta was no better. He had curled up into Magna’s spot on the sofa and pulled a blanket over his head. He was likely at the ‘never drinking again’ stage of hangover. Poor kid.

“I brought waffles,” Yami said to Finral. “It seems we can’t have pancakes two days in a row, but these look like sort of pancakes with squares.”

Asta groaned. “I hate you,” he managed to say.

“What did you do to him?” Finral demanded of Yami.

For a second it was adult Finral speaking. It was so familiar that Yami laughed. “He can’t hold his liquor.”

“You gave him alcohol? He’s not old enough to drink. You’re a terrible Captain.”

That was even funnier. Getting nagged by little-Finral was hilarious, especially as he was now making the resigned frowny face that meant he was finding his supervisors’s behaviour both disappointing and not surprising.

Yami’s laughter brought Asta out from under the blanket to squint in the light. “Wha’s so funny?” He slurred. “Can’t you leave me to die in peace?”

Finral looked horrified and tried to disentangle himself from Luck to go to find out why Asta was about to expire in front of him. “What’s wrong Asta? Are you sick?”

Yami managed to hold the laughter back enough to say, “He’s okay Finral. He’s never been hungover before. See, I brought him water.” He held out a jug.

“I’m never accepting another drink from you, ever,” Asta murmured from back under the blanket.

“Drink, short stuff.”

Finral lay back down, having been defeated by the tentacle-like grip of Luck as he slept. But he glared at Yami as Asta emerged enough to drink some water. Yami could not help his grin. Getting nagged by Finral was funny when he was an adult. Getting nagged by a five year old version was even funnier.

Once Asta had drunk his water and retreated under the blanket, Yami said, “So, Finral. Do you want breakfast?”

“I think I need some help,” the boy said. To demonstrate he moved his arm and Luck grasped for it and pulled it back. 

“Yeah, I can see your problem.” With a bit of manoeuvring Finral managed to wriggle around to sit up beside Asta’s blanket lump. Yami lifted Luck so that he was still attached to Finral’s arm, but at least the other was free to take pieces of waffle from a plate. He declined any of the sticky toppings.

“What happened yesterday?” Finral asked. 

“What do you remember?”

The boy shrugged. “We had just seen the animals downstairs. One of them tried to eat Asta.”

“They love me,” Asta mumbled from under the blanket. Finral giggled. An honest, real giggle. Yami smiled despite himself.

“They are big. I thought they might be scary, but one of them licked Luck and it was so wet. I wasn’t brave enough to touch one. Then we were going to find the bedrooms, and something… something happened.” He shivered and stared past Yami. “It was so sore. I couldn’t breathe. And something was wrong with Magna and Luck. What was it?”

“I gave the amulet to Julius and he took it with him to the Capital. But Gauche and Gordon,” Finral frowned at Gauche’s name, so that animosity persisted, “were researching in the library. The amulet is holding your extra years within it, so it can’t go too far away without, well, whatever that was last night.”

Finral looked at Luck. “I dreamt he died. You couldn’t keep us safe.”

“Never happened. It was a nightmare.” There was something about the wide eyes and serious expression that made Yami add, “But we were worried. He was, you were all, really in danger for a bit. We fixed it, but until this gets sorted, the amulet and you guys stay here.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Asta’s hand sneaked out from under the blanket and patted Finral’s free arm. Finral did not pull away.

They were onto their third waffle and Yami was thinking he’d have to go and get more when Luck began to stir. He wriggled closer to Finral and whined as if reluctant to wake. Finral lifted the boy’s hair out of his face. He was still even paler than usual, but the half open eyes were watching Finral. “He still looks sick.”

“Luck. You want a waffle?” Yami asked.

The eyes cracked open a little more. He untangled one hand from Finral and touched his mouth at the split in his lip. “That’ll be sore,” Yami said. “You know what would help. Waffles covered in syrup and chocolate stuff.”

Luck scrambled up to sit beside Finral. His movements were stiff and clumsy, and he winced as he shuffled closer. The simple exertion had him panting, so Yami had to agree with Finral’s assessment. He had not recovered from what had happened last night. He leaned into Finral’s warmth, then put out a hand for his breakfast.

He was clumsy breaking the waffle into small bits as though his fingers were not yet under his complete control. Finral was hampered by the boy attached to his arm, so Yami broke it into pieces and handed the plate back. Now his hands were as sticky with syrup as Luck’s. 

Asta must have felt better as he took a plain waffle under the blanket and ate. Finral found this more amusing than it really was and Luck relaxed as Finral did. 

Magna and Charmy brought more waffles, more coffee and more terrible toppings. They were both covered head to foot in flour. There was something sticky in Magna’s hair that had it spiked up at unnatural angles and had collected feathers and other pieces of small debris. He had tried to wipe the worst of his face, but that had smeared more sticky stuff over his hands and clothes. It was a little concerning that he was cleaner than Charmy.

“What have you done?” Yami asked.

“Charmy helped me make waffles,” Magna said.

“Why are you wearing them?”

“You cannot restrain art,” Charmy said. Her air of pomposity was spoiled by a drip of syrup from the end of her nose.

Luck giggled, then laughed. It was such a welcome sound that Yami decided he might forgive Charmy. One day.

“Put the stuff down. Then eat. Try not to touch anything.”

Magna grinned. “Yes sir.”

Luck managed another waffle. His fingers were more under his control now, so he managed to eat and spread syrup on his own. He released Finral so that he could use both of his hands. Magna was horrified to find Asta hiding under the blanket and made it his mission to make his friend feel better. The hangover must be easing as Asta almost looked like a human when he was forced to emerge from his cocoon. 

As they ate, Magna chatted about everything and nothing. In the end, just to hear another voice, Yami offered to tell them about the Black Bulls. Magna was delighted to hear about his teammates and even Finral looked interested. Luck was still a little out of it but seemed happy just being snuggled close to Finral with sticky waffles.

That lasted until Charmy started gathering the plates. Luck gasped in horror. Yami, Finral and Asta looked around for the threat. But there was nothing to be seen, unless you had a fear of flour covered magic knights.

Something had panicked Luck though. He pulled himself out from under the blankets and would have fallen off the sofa if Yami had not grabbed him. He was looking around the room as though searching for something, breathing too fast and starting to sob.

“What is it?” Yami asked, at the same time as Asta and Finral both said, “What’s wrong?”

Yami put the boy on the ground where his legs threatened to collapse out from underneath him. He wobbled to the corner he had been playing in yesterday, still sobbing. He knelt on the floor, either because his legs were not working any more or because he needed to look on the floor.

“What the hell happened?” Yami demanded. 

“Doesh he want ‘nother waffle?” Magna said through the one in his mouth.

“I don’t think it’s that,” Asta said. 

Finral climbed off the sofa and carefully approached the distraught child. With infinite care, he put a hand out to touch Luck’s arm. 

Luck screamed and scratched at Finral. The fear and fury in his face were primal. Finral fell back with a squeal of his own, more surprised than hurt. Luck did not press the attack but brought his hands to his own face and he began to scratch his own skin and pull his hair. His screams were high pitched and awful to listen to. He was rocking on his heels.

Perhaps it was a delayed effect of the seizure. 

Yami watched as Luck’s fingernails began to draw blood. Well, shit, he wasn’t going to let the kid hurt himself. “Hey, Luck, don’t do that, yeah.” He took a hold of his left hand which was doing most of the damage and held it securely. Luck snarled at him. “Finral, Asta,” Yami said, “go find the things he was playing with yesterday. The coin or those little balls. Everyone else out.”

There was a hasty conference behind him. It sounded like Asta and Finral decided on where the toys were. 

At least now Luck was using his hands to try to fight with Yami, rather than hurting himself. He still screamed with every breath.

“Luck,” Yami said. “I want to help, but you’re going to have to give me more here. What were you looking for?”

He was tiring fast. He could not sustain this level of energy for long. Yami released his hand again and Luck collapsed into himself and sobbed as though his heart was broken. 

Asta returned first with the spinning top and the coin. Luck was too exhausted to do more than peer at them through a half open eye. Then Finral arrived, out of breath carrying the little bag of balls that Vanessa had made.

Luck gave an almighty sob and tried to lunge at Finral. Finral stepped back as though expecting to be attacked again, but Luck cried more.

“I think he’s sorry, Finral,” Yami explained. 

Finral approached again and this time when Luck threw himself at the other boy, it was to wrap him in his arms and cry harder. Finral sat on the ground and let Luck tuck himself in again. 

Once the worst of the weeping was over, Luck pulled Finral’s arm closer so that he could see the scratch marks that he had left. With infinite care, he traced them with a finger. Finral ran his free hand through the blond hair and said, “It’s okay, Luck. It doesn’t hurt. I got a fright, that’s all. Do you want these now?”

Yami’s guess had been right. Luck took the small bag with reverence and put his hand into it to run his fingers through the balls inside. The action seemed to calm him, and he closed his eyes as he squeezed into Finral more. 

The door burst open and Magna ran in, crying more than Luck was now. He threw himself on Asta. Charmy stayed at the door.

“Hey, buddy,” Asta said. “It’s okay. Luck was just sad. Look he’s better now.”

Better was a relative term. He was at least no longer screaming and trying to hurt himself. But his face was buried into Finral’s shirt and he hiccuped little sobs even as he ran his hands through the small bag of balls. Finral was running his hands through his hair again.

“But… but…” Magna started to say, then wailed again. 

Asta said, “Shh. Come on, let’s go see.”

Magna stiffened as Asta lifted him over to Finral and Luck, but as soon as he saw Luck properly, he relaxed. “He’s not hurt.” 

“No. He was upset because he couldn’t find his toys, and he couldn’t tell us what he wanted. But we worked it out. So, it’s okay now.”

Magna took a deep breath to quell his tears, then patted Luck on the shoulder. “Don’t be sad,” he said, in his best Finral impression. “Me and Finral and Asta and everyone will help you.”

“Good job, Magna.”

Yami looked at them all. Luck was sticky, bloodstained and wet with tears and snot. Magna was just as wet, with the added flour and other sauces from the kitchen. Finral was perhaps a little less covered in flour and syrup, but red-eyed with tears and was now cuddled up close to Luck. Asta had had Magna in his arms, and Yami’s palms were sticky from holding Luck’s hands.

“Right. Bath time everyone.”

This cheered Magna. Luck was still teary and refused to let go of Finral but looked up in interest. 

“We saw the bath yesterday,” Magna said. “It was huge. Can we really go swim in it?”

“Sure. We’ll take Asta and Vanessa and get you cleaned up.”

“Is it deep?” Finral asked. “I don’t know how to swim.”

“It’s a bath for getting clean. We can let the swimmers swim.”

“Yeah,” Magna cheered. “I can help you Finral. I’m really good at helping.”

\--

They woke Vanessa and she made swimming trunks for the boys. Magna looked at them as if he could not work out their purpose. “Who wears clothes to go for a bath?” he demanded of Asta. 

Finral tugged on Vanessa’s sleeve when he saw them and whispered something into her ear. She nodded in reply, but her smile was a little sad. “Sure Finral. I can do that.” 

Luck was stumbling but refused Yami’s offer of a carry. “What about I carry you and Finral then?” he offered.

Finral looked horrified and glared at Yami. Then his appraising look at Luck seemed to convince him, and without a word he put his hands up. Yami picked him up and settled him on one hip. Luck followed suit, so that he could keep a hand wrapped in Finral’s shirt. It took a moment to get them comfortable on each side.

Vanessa was looking at Yami with a grin. “I’m never forgetting this ever.”

Finral blushed and hid his head in Yami’s sleeve. Luck waved with his free hand. 

It was the first time Finral had not flinched or tensed in response to Yami’s touch.

Magna informed Asta that he needed to be carried too and held up his sticky, floury arms. Asta, who was just as filthy, picked him up too.

Yami and Asta took the children to change. Magna, of course, disregarded the trunks as superfluous nonsense and left his clothes in a bundle at his feet. Finral helped Luck get changed and he too ignored the trunks.

Finral was still dressed when Luck was ready to go. He was conflicted over whether to stay with Finral or go with Magna. 

“How about you go with Magna and Asta,” Yami said. “I’ll bring Finral in a minute.” 

“Let’s go Luck. It’s going to be so amazing,” Magna said. “I’ve been waiting for you for forever.”

Luck tried pulling at Finral. Yami could sense Finral’s discomfort. 

“Finral’s still got all his clothes on, Luck. We’ll be there in a minute. Go and have some fun.”

With a little reluctance, Luck transferred his Finral gripping hand to Asta and allowed himself to be led through the door into the bathroom.

The changing room door slid open and Vanessa’s hand appeared with a small bundle. She dropped it onto the floor. Her voice said, “There, Finral. I finished it.”

Finral picked it up. It was a long sleeved T-shirt with a black bulls emblem on the front.

“I don’t need any help, Captain Yami,” Finral whispered as he held the trunks and shirt to his chest.

“Sure kid. I’ll be over here if you want any help.” Yami turned his back to let him change in privacy. And again, he cursed Ledior and Liliane Vaude. Owen had seen the bruises, so Yami had no need to check himself, but he felt ill knowing that Finral wanted to hide them.

Yami did not turn around until Finral said, “I’m ready.” He was standing with his arms across his chest as if that could add another layer of defence. 

Yami did not need to look at the healing friction burns around the boy’s ankles or the bruises on his legs. “Shall we go see if Magna’s managed to empty the bath yet.”

“Yeah,” Finral whispered. 

Without speaking, he slipped his hand into Yami’s. 

\--

Magna had not emptied the bath, but there was more water on the floor than normal. He had found the sweet spot to jump in and was keeping Asta nearby so that he took the full force of the splash. He looked up at Finral and Yami when they entered.

For a moment, Yami worried that the naked child leaping into the water was going to comment on Finral’s outfit. He could feel Finral’s hand tense in his as the boy must have thought the same thing.

But this was Magna. He did not have a cruel bone in his body and just occasionally more insight than it might appear. Yami was reminded of his words to Noelle when her lack of control became obvious. “We’re the Black Bulls, a whole group of failures. That little flaw of yours isn’t such a big deal, idiot.” 

“Cool shirt, Finral,” Magna said and leaped into the water again.

Luck was splashing on the side, quite content to observe until he saw Finral. Then he clambered up. He removed Finral’s hand from Yami’s and took it in his. He tugged until Finral had no choice but to follow. Yami waved his hands in encouragement. “Off you go kids.”

Luck settled Finral in the shallow water patting him to make sure he got the message to stay there. Then he dived headfirst into water and swam like a fish towards Vanessa. When he returned, he was carrying a small boat made of blue thread that he gave to Finral. He already had a yellow one.

The worry on Finral’s face eased as Luck demonstrated how to pile the small thread balls into the boats until they sank. Each time one sank, Luck crowed with delight before refloating it and starting again. He was content to sit beside Finral in the shallow water even though he was a better swimmer than Magna. 

What Magna lacked in ability, he made up for in sheer enthusiasm. It did not take long before Asta was throwing him into the water and each time he came up for air he was laughing harder. The first time had made Finral startle, but seeing Magna emerge unscathed and ecstatic reassured him that Asta was not trying to drown his friend. 

Yami sat beside Vanessa. “He ask you to make that?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“He didn’t want me to see. But he took my hand. First time he’s done that.”

“He trusts you.”

“Yeah. Feels like I’m about fifteen years too late though. Bastards.”

Vanessa nodded. “I know what you mean.”

Magna had been under the water so many times that he was bound to be clean. Even Luck had been under a few times and looked less sticky and bedraggled. Finral was sticking to the shallow water and showed no sign of wanting to go any deeper. All things being normal, Yami might have been inclined to throw Finral in the same way Asta was throwing Magna. But this was the time to employ his secret weapon. Luck.

“Hey, Finral. Catch.” He threw one of the soap bars over. “Can you give Luck a scrub?”

Finral took on the duty with conscientious seriousness. He helped Luck with the soap, scrubbed his hair with it and then made sure his eyes were closed when Luck ducked his head under the water and came out shaking like a puppy.

As Yami had hoped, Luck took the completion of Finral’s task as time to turn the tables. He was a lot less gentle than Finral had been, and soon there were soap suds floating around that side of the bath. Luck was not to be diverted by the bubbles though. While Finral was trying to wipe the soap out of his eyes, Luck picked up one of the little boats and poured water over Finral’s head. 

Finral screamed in terror. He scrambled back and out of the bath faster than he had moved so far, only stopping when he reached the wall. He was staring past Luck with wide eyes like an animal caught in a trap. He was breathing too fast.

Yami had jumped out of the water at the scream, but he stopped himself beside the terror-stricken child. “Finral, it’s Captain Yami. You’re okay and you’re safe.”

No response. His eyes were looking far away, and he was shaking all over. 

Yami felt Luck beside him. 

“Finral, you’re with the Black Bulls and Luck is worried about you.” Taking this as his cue, Luck crept forward and with great care put his hand into Finral’s.

Finral took a deep swallowing gulp of air and looked around in panic. “Back in the room, kid?” Yami asked.

Finral nodded. He was still shivering. “Are you finished up in the bath then?”

Luck pointed out some soap bubbles lodged in Finral’s hair. 

“It’s okay Luck, we can leave them until later if Finral wants to.”

Finral was looking at the bath, then at the small boats on the side. He bit his lip and said, “No, I think i can go back in. I’m sorry.”

“Only if you want. It’s okay to call it a day.”

Finral shook his head. “It’s fun. I was having fun. Sorry. Just… Just it gave me a fright. Sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“Damn, kid. Stop apologising. It’s okay. No harm. No water on your face, right? We can do that. Anything else?”

“I don’t want to go under the water,” Finral said. “Please.”

“No problem.”

“And… and can you stay near?”

“Yep.”

His breathing was mostly under control when he crept back into the water with Luck’s hand in his. Vanessa moved to sit on their left side and Asta shifted his and Magna’s game to the other side of the bath to minimise the splashed water. Even Magna regulated his frantic doggy paddle when he came near to check that Finral was okay.

Luck gave Finral both small boats to play with which Yami reckoned was his way of apologising. Finral accepted them, which would mean that the apology was also accepted. Much sooner than Yami would have hoped, the atmosphere had calmed back to pleasant enjoyment. 

Maybe Yami should ask Langris if there was a list of triggers that they should be trying to avoid. Did he want to know why Finral had such an aversion to water on his face? It did not sound like it was a pretty thing, and Yami was already furious enough without more reasons to cut the Vaudes into small pieces. He remembered the sharp spike of terror when someone walked too close to Finral with a burning candle even as an adult. Vanessa should know about that too. God knows how many other horrors that family had inflicted on their child.

Luck was beginning to nod with tiredness and Asta looked like he was worn out. Magna would have been quite happy to continue for another hour, but Yami decided to call time. He chased Asta out with Magna and managed to convince Luck that Vanessa would be an acceptable alternative to Finral for a little while.

Once they were gone, he handed Finral a facecloth and got him to wash his face himself. 

“How do you feel about taking off the top and getting a proper clean?”

Finral looked away. 

“Kid, it’s okay if you say no. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t okay to say no.”

“Really?”

“It’s an offer. The others aren’t here. No one has to see anything you don’t want to. But if it helps, remember you spoke to Owen. He told me you had some bruises that looked like someone wanted you to hide.”

“How did he know? I promise I didn’t tell him.” There was an edge of panic in the boy’s voice.

“You shouldn’t have to be hiding anything. But Owen’s smart and he’s been a recovery mage for a long time. Not much gets past him. I’m guessing when he checked out your heart and lungs, he had a look at you at the same time.” Yami leaned back into the water. “So, it’ll be okay if you’d like to take the t-shirt off and get clean underneath. But I don’t care if you don’t want to either.”

Finral wavered. Then, with a burst of courage he said, “Yeah.” 

Yami helped him pull the wet t-shirt off and put it on the side. 

Even knowing that Finral needed him not to overreact, it was hard to pull on the poker face. Finral’s back was criss-crossed with old bruises and a messy healed scar. There was a similar scar on his right forearm that could only have been a burn. That explained the issue with the candles. 

Finral was looking at Yami with trepidation, as though expecting a reaction. Gently Yami passed him the soap and said, “If it helps, no one will ever hurt you like that again.”

Finral looked at him and nodded once. “It helps,” he whispered. “I believe you.”

Once they were satisfied that Finral was clean, Yami lifted him out of the water and wrapped him in a towel so that he was covered from neck to ankle. “Do you want to be carried?”

Finral gave an exhausted nod. 

The others had finished in the changing room, although that did not explain why it was wetter than the pool had been. A clean change of clothes had been left out for Finral in the only dry spot in the room. Yami dried himself and got dressed. Finral made no attempt to move from his cocoon in the towel. 

“You won’t tell Langris?” Finral said when Yami’s back was turned.

“Do you think Langris doesn’t know?”

“I don’t want him to know. I’m his big brother.”

“I won’t tell Langris, Finral. But I think he might work it out, don’t you?”

“Maybe. He’s very clever.”

“Come on, let’s get some clothes on you.”

The clean clothes that Vanessa had left were simple and comfortable cotton pants and sweater. No buttons, all able to be pulled off and on. Yami did most of the work and Finral let him without startling or tensing up. He was like a floppy doll. 

“You ready for a nap?” 

Finral had been gazing far away. “Hmm?”

“Let’s go get a snack then you can nap the afternoon away like an old man.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a man as old as you, Captain Yami.” His tone was so dry, that for a moment Yami missed the joke. But the sly, tired smile was all Finral.

\-- 

The others were back in the common room. Luck was fighting sleep and Magna was tucking into the sandwiches that Charmy had provided. Yami put Finral onto a chair, where he was immediately joined by Luck. Yami gave them a plate with a sandwich each and told them to eat. 

Finral picked at his sandwich. Luck devoured his own despite his tiredness and was about to eat Finral’s when Asta refilled his plate. 

“Plenty to go around,” Yami said. “Eat it, don’t play with it, Finral.”

Once Finral had eaten half, and Luck had given up on his second, Yami lifted them both to the sofa with the blankets. Magna protested that he was not tired but was betrayed by the way his eyes kept closing when he thought no one was looking. 

“Read us a story,” Finral said once he had snuggled into his habitual place and Luck had tangled his legs and arms up to his satisfaction. 

“Yeah,” Magna said. “Something cool.”

The books in the common room were lacking children’s stories. Vanessa promised to go check the library when everyone was finished with their sleep. Finral’s eyes lit up at the prospect of a library, so that would be their afternoon activity. Until they could source some better material, Yami was forced to read old mission reports that had been filed on a shelf to gather dust.

It turned out that Finral had an eye for the dramatic in his mission reports. Yami might have known that if he’d read them before today. Some of the stories of the Black Bulls were quite entertaining if they were written down. It was clear that Finral had never expected anyone else to look at them, so some of his honest commentary was quite revealing. Magna approved of anything to do with ‘having a poo’, as Yami translated going for shit. It seemed to come up more often than it should. 

They had barely finished the title page, and Luck was asleep. Finral lasted until number two, ’A wild beast terrorising a village that turned out to be a love-sick deer’. Magna stuck it out until number five, only because number four seemed to coincide with Yami’s absence while ‘having a poo’, and Magna needed to know how that one ended.

Yami decided he was going to have to read more mission reports to provide the editing oversight they lacked.

“This stuff is kinda exhausting,” Yami said as he looked at the sleeping children. He grabbed the newspaper from three days ago. He would have to get some of the absent Black Bulls to get him an up to date one seeing as his paper boy was asleep. And denied that he had any magic yet.

There was something pleasant about the room when everything was so peaceful. It smelled of soap, and the only sound was the quiet breathing of sleeping children. Perhaps it was calm in the way that the sea would be before a storm, but it was pleasant. Yami thought he deserved this moment to enjoy it.

The small communicator disc buzzed, and Noelle’s face appeared. “Captain Yami,” she said.

“Shh. Small knights sleeping.”

“Sure. Umm. Can we see? Gauche said that they were sick because the amulet was away from the mansion.”

Gray and Gordon both crowded into the image. Yami could hear Gauche in the background saying, “The only child I’m interested in watching sleep is my darling Marie.”

Yami brought the disc over towards the boys. Gray let out a small squeak and Noelle’s hands were over her mouth. “Is Luck cuddling Finral?” she whispered.

“Yeah. Sort of like an octopus death grip. Finral doesn’t seem to mind.”

“That is so cute. Is their hair wet? Were they in the bath?”

“God, Noelle, are you a stalker?”

“No,” she spluttered. “It’s just, you and Asta have been having fun playing with kids and I’ve been stuck in the Capital with Gauche.”

“I heard that,” Gauche said off the image.

Yami sighed. “Did you call to admire the sleeping children, Noelle?”

“No. Of course not. Well, to make sure they are okay, but also, we think we found something. Well, Grey found it.”

Grey squeaked again, this time from embarrassment and hid her face behind her hands.

“How about you or Gauche tell me, Noelle, or we’re going to be here all day.”

“I’m not speaking to any of you,” Gauche’s voice said. 

Noelle scowled at him.

“We aren’t the first people to look for information on the amulet. The books that Gordon and Gauche have been reading at were all taken out of the library about ten years ago by a mage from the north. My old nanny remembered someone else asking about it around that time. Nozel thought he remembered them, but it was a long time ago. He wasn’t interested and nanny’s memory is going. But if someone was investigating this ten years ago, maybe they found something that we didn’t.”

“So, you tracked this person?”

“No one we spoke to could tell us anything about them. Nozel thought it was a man.” Noelle’s frustration was obvious. “No help there. But the librarian checked her records, and she thinks she’s got a location of a tower in the north. We’re going to check it out.” She waved a pile of paper. “We’ve got to give him his overdue book fines as well.”

“Good job. Check in and let us know.”

“Yes sir. Although, if we solve this, please don’t turn them back until I’ve come to play. Luck is so cute.”

“Noted.”

Noelle terminated the connection from her end. 

“Sounds hopeful,” Vanessa said. 

“Yeah, and it keeps them out of our hair for a bit longer. This place is wild enough, can you imagine Gauche sulking about the place, freaking everyone out. And Noelle is bad enough on the other side of the country.”

Asta took the time to go and train in the garden without his Magna-shaped shadow. Yami and Vanessa just enjoyed the quiet. The exertions of last night and this morning kept all three children asleep for three hours. Luck looked much better. Yami wondered if his meltdown this morning over the missing toys had been caused by the leftover effects of the seizure.

Yami sensed Magna stirring first, so he was able to catch his eye as soon as he opened them. Yami put his fingers to his lips and pointed to Luck and Finral. “Shhhh. Still sleeping.”

It was comical to see the effort that Magna needed to put into not speaking. In the end he had to stick his hand across his mouth. He looked at his friends, then clambered off the sofa and across to Yami with exaggerated tiptoes. He climbed onto Yami’s lap and said in an exaggerated whisper. “Are they going to sleep forever?”

“Not forever. Maybe just a bit longer.”

Magna threw himself back in a dramatic pout. “That’s forever. Where’s Asta?”

“In the garden. Either he’s training or he’s practicing pitching for your rematch.”

To Yami’s surprise, Magna did not ask to go and join in. He poked Yami’s arm and chest with a finger. “You’re very hard,” he said.

“Muscles, Magna. You wouldn’t know about that yet.”

He looked at his own arms, then said, “I’m bored. I want to play.”

Vanessa came to the rescue. “How about we go and visit the library. There are pens and paper and books there that we can bring back for when Finral and Luck wake up.”

The offer to do anything that wasn’t sleep seemed to please him, so he jumped off the seat and took Vanessa’s hand. Before he left, he said in his best Finral impression, “You have to look after them when they are sleeping, Mister Yami.”

“Sure. I’ll do my best.”

When they returned, they were laden down with books, loose leaf manuscript paper and more quills and pens than Yami knew existed in the hideout. Magna was chatting about the things he was planning to draw and suggesting improvements to Vanessa’s ideas. 

Finral and Luck slept through the arrangement of the drawing things on the large table. Luck was still recovering from last night, but maybe Finral’s stress over the water and the exposure of the healing injuries had worn him out more than it seemed at the time. 

Luck woke first. He did not seem inclined to move from his spot tangled in Finral’s arms, until he began to wriggle in the universal language for ‘small boy needing to visit the small boy’s room’. Yami said, “Come on, Luck, if you need to go, you need to go.”

Luck’s face crumpled as he faced having to move away from Finral’s warmth. “He’ll still be here when you come back.”

“I could take him to the toilet,” Magna suggested. 

“Yeah. No.” 

Which only left Yami. Luck seemed quite content with the plan, even if it looked like he was considering waking Finral and taking him along too. 

Luck walked through the hideout with his hand tucked in Yami’s and his other hand running along the wall. He skipped sometimes, and others concentrated hard on the cobbles on the ground so that he only stepped on the joins. He managed himself in the toilet. It was only when he was finishing up that Yami heard the quiet humming. It sounded like a fragment of a tune, but it was nothing that Yami recognised. The tune was then supplemented with small clicks and whistles. 

Luck was silent when he returned to Yami’s side, but his grin was pleased. He took Yami’s hand again without encouragement and pulled him back towards the common room. It was almost as if Yami had imagined the melody. 

Finral was beginning to wake when they returned. It was good timing, because Yami was becoming familiar with an upcoming Finral panic at Luck’s absence. 

“Luck was at the toilet,” Yami answered the question before it could be asked. 

Luck squealed happily and threw himself at Finral. 

“We’re doing drawing,” Magna declared. He had Vanessa drawing the squad members on demand. Magna then coloured and decorated each picture. “Draw me and Finral and Luck when we’re big,” he asked.

Vanessa started to sketch. She was an excellent artist, so Luck and Finral were drawn in to see themselves. Luck lost interest when he realised that there were enough pens for him to use and he began to scribble on his own. Finral watched Vanessa with intense concentration. She handed him the completed sketch of the three magic knights. Finral ran his fingers over the picture. “I don’t feel like that person,” he said. 

“Yeah,” Magna said. “You’re smiling a proper real smile when you’re a grown up.”

Finral looked at Vanessa. “Is that right?”

“That you smile when you’re a grown up?”

“Yeah.”

“Finral, you smile all the time.”

Finral looked thoughtful so Vanessa added, “Are you asking if you’re happy?” 

“Maybe. Am I? And not frightened?”

Yami could see Vanessa struggle not to just pull Finral into her arms for a hug. Four days ago it would have the most natural thing in the world.

“Yes. I think you are happy when you are grown up.”

“I feel happy now,” he said quietly. “I’m happy with all of you. I think if I was a grown up here, I would feel happy.”

“You are. Of course, you are scared of lots of things when you're grown-up, but they are things you should be scared of. Like sea monsters and devils and Aralt the recovery mage in the infirmary.”

Magna giggled. “A recovery mage?”

“But,” Vanessa continued. “You don’t let being scared stop you being a magic knight and you don’t let it stop you helping your friends.”

Finral nodded. “It is a very nice drawing, Vanessa,” he said.

“Okay, why not pull up a chair and draw something too.”

Magna drew the way he talked, with hopeless abandon and energy. He used three sheets of paper for everyone else’s one. Luck drew abstract shapes and patterns until he became bored and contented himself by working through every drawing implement on the table.

Yami was not sure what Finral was drawing at first. Then he realised it was a map of the base. Each chair and piece of furniture was represented. The pencil work was still childish, but it was an accurate map of the first floor of the building as it was at the moment. Finral marked small dots on each room, some in the centre, some at the sides. 

“What’re you drawing?” Yami asked.

“Where the portals go,” Finral said without looking up from the page. Once he had mapped out the hideout to his satisfaction, he pulled another piece of paper and drew the Clover Kingdom. Vanessa and Yami watched as the world according to Finral appeared in front of them. There was no doubt that they were adult Finral’s portals, because what cause would five year old Finral have to have been in Kiten. 

As he worked, Yami asked, “How do you know where the portals go?”

Finral was working with intensity now, so he did not look up to reply. “It’s where they are. Where they were.”

At a point on the map that seemed to be sea, he scribbled a mass of dots until he became frustrated and pulled out another sheet. 

“These are Asta’s portals,” he said as though that could make sense. Then Yami realised he was drawing the underwater cave and they were the portals that Finral and Vanessa had thrown Asta through to attack Vetto. 

“Wow,” Vanessa whispered. 

Once he had completed that image to his satisfaction, he went back to the world again. 

Magna interrupted to show them his drawing of Asta and Yami in the bath. Once he had finished explaining the picture, Finral was onto the Capital. 

“Finral, how do you know where they are?” Yami said. He kept his voice low because he had the sense that this was instinct and if Finral stopped to think about it too long it would break.

“I put them there. I don’t remember doing it. But they are mine. I… I feel them. That’s where their magic is.”

“Have you ever seen this before?” Yami asked Vanessa.

“He tried to explain it once. I think I realised that he saw the world in a way I can’t understand. Watch,” she turned to Finral and asked, “Finral. Where are we?”

He pulled out his world map again and pointed out the base with unerring accuracy. Then he found the base map and pointed out their location on the ground plan.

“And how far are we from there?” She pointed at Kiten.

“Three hundred seventy two point five seven kilometres,” he said. He was concentrating on his current map. 

“Nearest portal to the inn in Nean?”

He pointed out a small dot on his world map. Yami knew it was Nean.

Yami realised why Finral could never seem to understand when Yami said he was lost.

Vanessa opened her mouth, but Finral interrupted. “You know how I do this. Stop quizzing me.”

“Well,” Yami said, “I think it’s fair to say that no-one knows how you do this, but it’s pretty incredible.”

Finral glanced up from his current map. “Really?”

“It’s amazing,” said Vanessa.

Magna stuck his next art work of Magna and Luck in the bathroom under Vanessa’s nose. “Is mine amazing too, Miss Vanessa.”

She patted Magna’s head and said, “It’s amazing too.”

Finral was drawing with the same intensity of Luck with the shiny penny. Vanessa and Yami sat back and watched. When Asta returned, he was dragged into drawing. Magna decided that he was the best at drawing and needed competitors to prove this. Vanessa, Yami were included and even Luck contributed a spiral squiggle. 

Finral growled when Magna tried to interrupt him, so Magna contented with dragging everyone else in. 

Magna’s illustration of the whole team, minus Grey, Zora, Henry and Secre that he had not met and Gauche that he did not like was declared the winner, with Luck’s spiral coming a close second. 

“What’s Finral doing?” Asta whispered.

“Drawing portals,” Vanessa explained. 

“Wow.”

“Those are the ones we sent you through in the Underwater Temple,” Vanessa said as she found the corresponding map underneath another three of the base.

Asta looked at it. To anyone not Finral it looked like a crudely drawn map topography with dots. He had moved onto colour coding the portals now. “But how can he remember this?”

Finral was so absorbed that he did not seem to hear that he was the topic of conversation. “I don’t think he is remembering,” Vanessa said. “He says it's where they were. And he can feel them. I think it’s like echoes of where the portals were.”

Asta inspected the Underwater temple map again, then the one of the Kingdom. “Look, there’s Hage.”

Yami said, “Julius would love this. He always wanted to get Finral in to sort out their mapping. I think he might be running afoul of child labour laws now, but let’s show him if we want his brain to explode.”

Magna asked to go out before dinner, so Asta suggested they feed the animals together. Luck understood that Asta was going to be eaten again and demanded to come too. His pantomimed impression was as funny as the real thing. They took Vanessa with them.

Finral continued his frantic drawing.

Yami pulled up a chair to watch the boy work. There was a frantic kind of energy about him now that felt uncomfortable. “Finral. Why is there a gap?”

There were no portals marked around Tota. 

Finral shivered. “I don’t want to go there. There are portals there, but I’m not ever going back. You said that Langris isn’t there.” He stopped drawing. “You said you wouldn’t let anyone hurt me like that again.”

“And you said you believed me.”

Finral did not answer but began to mark more portals around the witches forest. Yami put his hand over his. “Finral, you need to stop now.”

“But I never felt them like this before. I didn’t know they were all there. I did that, I can feel where they were. Where they still are. Just waiting to be opened again. They’re everywhere. It feels like the whole world.”

“But it’s too much for now. You told me you haven’t got your magic yet, and you're ten years from a grimoire. What you’re feeling is twenty year old Finral’s portals, and you’re not ready.”

“Yami. I can feel them singing,”

He was still shivering. Yami held out his arms, and Finral left the paper and the maps. He crawled onto Yami’s lap and shook like a leaf. 

“I can’t stop hearing them,” he whispered. He had his palms pressed against his ears.

“Right. Damn. I can’t believe I’m encouraging this. But come on.” He lifted the boy and carried him out of the room. 

Henry had kept the route the same since the last time that Yami had to use it. That occasion had been to fetch a slightly tipsy Finral after the battle with the elves. This time Finral was still trembling by the time they reached the small room on the top floor of the house. It had a window too big for it at one end. Yami thought that perhaps Henry had put the window there to facilitate exactly what he was going to do tonight. He pushed it open.

It was a low, flat area on top of the roof. It wasn’t Finral’s favourite spot, which was only accessible by portal and not by a man carrying a child. But it was the damn roof, and the minute Yami stepped out Finral took his face out of his hiding place and looked around. The trembling eased and he took his hands off his ears.

“Oh,” he whispered. 

The sun was low in the sky and the clouds were beginning to show touches of pink and purple. A light breeze was playing through the leaves below and bringing up the scents of the forest and the light rain from earlier. The whole canopy of trees was laid out in front of them. 

Finral squirmed out of Yami’s arms and down to the rooftop. “This is better,” he said. He stood and let the wind blow in his hair. “I can still feel them, but it's getting calmer. I can almost touch them.”

“If you can feel them like that, your magic is about ready. It’s probably what’s buzzing through you tonight. You want to try making a portal?” 

For a moment Finral froze. 

“A little one, here to here.” Yami demonstrated between his two hands.

“But it’s not what spacial magic is for.”

“You leave that bullshit in Tota where it belongs. Feel those portals across the whole world and tell me that you are not incredible.”

Finral held out a hand and his face creased in concentration. There, a flicker of a portal above Finral’s hand and its partner above Yami’s. The familiar forms weren’t there yet, and it was a tiny thing, but the grin that spread over the boy’s face was full of joy.

“Yeah,” Yami said. “That’s it.”

The portals both closed and Finral’s knees buckled under him. Yami was ready to catch him. “I did it,” he whispered.

“You did.” 

“Can I try again?”

“Give it a minute. Sit down first.”

“I feel better. I want to try again.”

“Slow down, don’t be in such a rush. The magic was buzzing at you, and now you’re letting it loose, but you don’t need to be in a hurry.”

Finral sat on the roof. He took a deep breath. Then another. “Now?” he pleaded.

“Right. Go for it.” 

This portal was steadier and hung in the air at the same points as before. “You got it?” Yami asked.

The boy grinned. 

Yami picked up a small stick from the roof tiles and poked it through his portal. The end appeared out of Finral’s. The boy giggled with delight. 

They practiced five more times before Finral lay back on the rooftop and sighed. “I want to do that forever.”

“Does it feel better?”

“Yeah. It was like everyone shouting at once, but now I can feel these ones loudest. The rest are still there, but quieter. It's amazing.”

“Yeah. It is.”

“I’m hungry.”

“Come on then. Luck will have realised you are missing and is probably freaking out.” He paused. “Finral, if you need to come here again, just say, okay? You used to come up here a lot, and it’ll save everyone worrying if we know it’s where you want to be? Deal.”

“Sure, I don’t mind. I like it up here. Come on, let’s go find food. And… and I want to tell Asta and Magna and Luck and Vanessa that my magic was here.”

“You and the damn roof.”

Luck was not quite freaking out, but he was giving Vanessa an angry stare as if she was responsible for Finral not being where Luck had left him. Luck grabbed Finral’s hand and dragged him into the room towards Asta. 

“I told you they wouldn’t be long,” Vanessa said.

Luck took Finral’s hand and stuck it in Asta’s wet hair and laughed.

“What are you doing, Luck?” Finral asked.

“The big dog animal tried to eat him again,” Magna explained. “It’s really funny.”

“This is spit?” Finral demanded. “Yuck.” He tried to untangle his hand, but Luck held on tight and laughed harder.

Asta sighed. “Did you go somewhere nice with Yami?” he asked Finral, in a desperate attempt to divert the conversation.

Finral was ready to divert the conversation as well. “I went to the roof with Yami and I made a portal. I made six portals. The first one wasn’t so great, but then we could put things through them. Yami even put his hand through one and it was the best thing ever. I want to practice and practice, but now I’m hungry.”

“Well, that’s good. We brought supper,” Vanessa said. 

Finral bounced on his chair, as if Luck’s constant hand in his was the only thing stopping him floating to the ceiling. It turned out that he could talk as much as Magna.

“And I could feel them and there are portals that I made everywhere. They were so loud at first, but then when I made one that was really me, it was like the other ones sort of went back to sleep. I know where they are. Were. Are going to be? Is that right? But now I’ve got my own ones and I want to use them to explore the whole world. Yami says that it can be a good use of spacial magic, and I bet it could help move things and people around and even magic. Like in the sea place. They were all your portals, Asta. I knew that. I could feel that I made them for you. Your sword, it can break the magic, but you won’t let it break my portals.”

Magna stared.

“And Yami says I can go back on the roof if I want and that’s my favourite place. I don’t think I’d ever be scared there. I can feel my magic everywhere up there. Luck and Magna you should come and see too. Because that’s where my magic feels biggest.”

Yami said, “You were hungry. Less talk. More eating.”

Finral still managed to talk between bites. “I don’t think I can do the big portals without a lot more magic. That will need a grimoire, so we can’t go to the Capital yet, but the little portal is cool, and it can do all sorts of awesome things. I want to practice and practice and then I can use it to play ball, and get in the highest trees and…”

Magna tugged on Yami’s sleeve and said, “Does he ever stop talking?”

And if that was not the funniest thing Yami had ever heard, it was at least in the top five. Vanessa snorted her wine and Asta choked on his slice of beef. “Welcome to our life, motor mouth,” Yami said to the horrified Magna.

Finral paused, then said considerately, “What is your magic like Magna?”

“Well, spacial magic sounds quite good,” Magna conceded. “But fire is better. I need more practice and I’m not allowed to practice without an adult, or I’ll set fire to something important this time. But I won’t set fire to me.”

“No practicing at mealtimes,” Yami said.

“Yeah. I got told that before. Tomorrow I’ll show you. It’ll be great. I’m practicing fireballs. Could we make them go through portals?”

“I bet we could. That would be…”

“Very dangerous,” said Yami. “No fireballs through portals except under supervision.”

Magna and Finral looked at each other and both grinned. Tomorrow could be a long day.

“Yami?” Finral asked. “What’s Luck’s magic?”

Then he yelped and pulled his hand back from Luck. The residual sparks vanished off the top of Luck’s fingertips. 

“Wow!” Magna said. “Lightning magic.”

“Ouch, lightning magic,” Finral said and rubbed his hand on his pants.

Luck took his hand and kissed it better. It would take a harder heart than Finral’s to hold a grudge after that. 

“Could lightning go through a portal?” Magna asked.

“We could try that tomorrow too. If it’s magic, I bet it could.”

Magna and Finral began discussing their plans for magical destruction tomorrow. Luck’s magic was included. If they managed to carry through half of their ideas, there would be no forest by tomorrow evening.

Vanessa poured Yami a beer. “You know,” she said in a quiet voice for only Yami to hear. “Finral told me about the day he found his magic at home. He said his father was disappointed that it was such a pathetic spell. I’m thinking that means he was beaten black and blue. This… this is nice.”

“Yeah. It is kinda nice.”

Yami considered finding a proper bedroom somewhere in the hideout but when he said, “Are you lot going to talk all night or go to sleep?” Luck jumped onto the sofa and snuggled himself down under the blanket.

“Hold on,” Vanessa said. “Pyjamas.” She held up new, soft pyjamas that she had made. Luck’s were decorated with a lightning motif, Magna’s with small flames and Finral’s had shimmering portals.

Luck and Magna were delighted. Magna was naked before Vanessa even got the chance to hand over his set. He pulled on the vest top and shorts as he said, “Asta, look. Maybe Vanessa could make you some too, and they should have a sword on it.”

Luck became a bit tangled in his haste to remove his clothes as fast as Magna had, so Finral helped with removing the sweatshirt. His face fell when he realised that the pyjamas were vest and shorts, but he helped Luck sort himself out without comment. 

As if Vanessa would have been so dense as to not adapt the clothes to each child. “Thank you,” Finral whispered as he held up his own long-sleeved shirt and full-length pants. 

Finral watched Luck and Magna parade their new clothes for Asta and Yami. He had become very tense. But as Yami was about to suggest that he go to the toilet and get changed there, Finral seemed to make a decision. He bit his lip and pulled off his sweater. 

Yami watched Magna and Luck’s impromptu fashion show but kept his awareness on Finral’s ki. The boy was a bundle of anxiety, but there was the thread of determination through it. That was the way his ki felt when limits were going to be surpassed. 

And as Yami would have wished, neither Magna nor Luck even looked in Finral’s direction. Perhaps that was manipulated by Vanessa, who had invited the other boys to help her create a set of pyjamas for Asta. 

By the time Finral came back into Yami’s visual field he was pale but wearing the new pyjamas and fiddling with the cuffs.

“Finral, should Asta have yellow or green?” Magna asked. He was back to looking at Vanessa’s example swatches when he said, “Cool pyjamas.”

Finral was still on edge as he crept forward to join them. Asta shifted to give him room, but Magna and Luck were too engaged in the thread magic to even glance up. 

The Black Bulls were the best squad in the country. No question.

Once Asta had his own set of yellow pyjamas with swords, Yami told them it was time to sleep. Luck grabbed Finral as expected and arranged him on the sofa the way he wanted him. Finral was still a little antsy, so he allowed the manhandling. Luck tucked up against him and assumed his usual tangle of limbs. He closed his eyes and was asleep before Magna had even climbed under the covers.

“Story, please,” Magna asked with a credible attempt at charming.

Vanessa had brought what child suitable books she could find from the library, but Magna asked for a story about ‘us’, so back they went back to the mission reports. Yami was picking up Finral’s report style, so he reckoned it was becoming easier to sneak in his adaptations. Until Finral whispered to Asta, “That’s not really what it says, is it?”

“Hey, Little-Finral. You doubt me?”

Finral giggled. “No, Sir, Mister Yami sir.”

“Then go to sleep.”

Magna slept by mission report four this time, but Finral was still awake by number six. “I want to know what happened with the witch,” he said. 

“You’ll find out tomorrow,” Yami said. “Sleep now.” 

Vanessa and Asta had already left, so Yami turned off all but one lamp. “Where are you going?” Finral asked.

“Just the kitchen.”

“Come back.”

“Yep. Don’t know how I’d manage without my Magna alarm clock in the morning.”

Finral smiled and cuddled in closer to Luck. “Goodnight, Yami.”

“Yeah, kid, you too.”

\--

The old man had arrived at the Black Bull mansion and made himself a secure spot among the nearby trees with a view towards the front door. He saw glimpses of children at the windows, and once a knight appeared with two children holding his hands. So they were the ones that had activated the amulet.

As he had watched he planned his next move. It would have been best to simply steal the amulet itself, but there was no way to get into the monstrosity of a building without alerting the magic knights. And even if he could, he would still need to sort out the children whose years with years trapped in it.

As the sky began to darken into night, he eased his stiff joints under his blanket. The beginnings of an idea began to form. He pulled out the transportation device that would take him back to his tower. Perhaps that was all he needed.


	4. Day 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favourite chapter. Are you allowed to have favourite chapters in your own story? 
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

Yami’s Magna alarm clock activated before daybreak again. “Good morning Mister Yami. I’m going to go to the toilet this morning without disturbing you.”

“Thanks, kid,” Yami said and rolled over. “Great job not disturbing me.”

“You’re welcome,” Magna said without a hint of irony.

By the time Magna returned, Luck had decided that it was time for everyone else to be awake too. He untangled himself from Finral and launched himself on to Yami 

Yami shifted and roared, but Luck was not to be dissuaded. He giggled as he clambered towards Yami’s face and tried to tug back the blankets. Yami sat up and grabbed the child around the waist. “And what do you think you are doing tiny Magic Knight,” Yami demanded.

Luck’s hysterical laughter as he realised he was trapped were enough to bring Magna creeping closer. He demanded that Luck be released by hanging onto one of Yami’s arms and squealing with delight. 

Yami kept half an eye on Finral for the same panic that had sent him on top of the cupboard that first morning. At the initial roar, the boy had stiffened and looked ready to bolt. But it eased quicker than expected. He did squirm into the blankets to make sure that no one thought he wanted to be involved and his eyes were wide. But he did not move. 

Yami smiled to himself. That was progress.

Asta heard the noise and burst through the door in his yellow pyjamas, ready to enter battle to save his companions. Once he realised that Luck and Magna were having the time of their lives, he sat beside Finral. Finral clutched his hand. “Should we rescue them?”

“Yami? Or Magna and Luck?”

“Good question. Who do you think needs rescued?”

“I think Luck started it. But Yami is the biggest.”

“We should just leave them.”

Luck discovered that he could get Yami to tickle him if he took his hand and pulled it to his waist. Magna shouted, “Me too, me too,” to get the same result. 

In a lull in the squealing delight, Yami glanced at Finral. “You guys okay?”

“Sure, Yami,” Asta said. “Aren’t we Finral?” But Asta nodded at their hands so that Yami could see how tight Finral’s grip was.

The frenzy had built to such a level that it was probably a good time to end it before some kid vomited.

“Right, guys, enough of that. No one has eaten breakfast yet.”

Magna groaned, and Luck tried to pull Yami’s hand back for more. “Come on, let's go and see if Charmy is up.” He picked each child up by the waist and slotted one in each arm to march them through to the kitchen. Both boys wriggled and kicked their legs. They were laughing so hard that Yami wondered how they were managing to breathe.

Finral and Asta followed. 

The two squirming children were deposited on chairs in the kitchen. Luck tried to climb back up, but Yami used his firm Julius-voice. “No. Eat first. Then play.”

“Waffles,” Magna shouted. 

Charmy was not there yet, but would arrive soon if there were people in her kitchen. In the meantime Yami put on coffee and handed around cheese and bread. Luck was too excited to sit still so Yami let him cling onto his leg as he worked. 

Finral was tense at the noise and mock violence, but Asta’s calm chat seemed to work. He was coping. If Asta had not been there, Yami would have put an end to it before the kid had a panic induced heart attack. 

Magna set upon the food with a passion. Perhaps a tickle fight helped build the appetite. Yami handed pieces of bread and cheese to the child attached to his leg. Vanessa and Charmy arrived and Charmy cackled with delight. 

“Eggy bread,” she declared and her sheep cooks pushed Yami out of the way to get to work. 

“Eggy bread,” Magna shouted.

“You’re going to regret winding them all up first thing in the morning,” Vanessa said to Yami as she grabbed a coffee.

“Perhaps. But look,” he nodded at Finral. The boy was talking to Asta. He was still scanning the room with more than usual watchfulness and he kept glancing at Luck, but he was not ready to climb on the furniture. 

“Today I’m going to send fireballs through portals,” Magna declared to Asta with a mouthful of bread. 

“You’re supervising,” Yami said to Asta.

\--

The backyard magic lesson went better than Yami would have believed possible. Magna made small fireballs and lobbed them at Asta and his anti-magic sword to deflect. Asta was up to the challenge until Finral made his first portal and shifted a fireball twenty meters to the left. Asta had not been prepared for the addition of portals so Magna got his first direct hit. 

Now the game was on. Between Magna and Finral they gave Asta an excellent workout. The first unexpected direction change was the only fireball that made contact, but between both boys they got some very close indeed.

Of course, it was nothing like watching the adult version of this training, which was so fast that it could be impossible to tell what was happening. Magna could fire off multiple large fireballs, Finral could flick them through any number of portals before Asta would parry them back. If Finral felt that Magna needed practice in both offence and defence, or if he had been annoying that day, he would send the fireball back. It made a great spectacle of destruction on a grand scale. 

This child version was perhaps as accomplished considering the stage of their magic. Sustained fireballs were impressive, but Finral should not be able to create such rapid portals the day after his magic appeared, no matter how precocious. Those residual portal echoes were no doubt the reason. Yami should ask Julius. 

Luck was uninterested in doing anything with his own magic, but stood with Yami and cheered every time Asta hit a fireball. After a while the boy decided that he wanted to be carried, but rather than the usual arms in the air signal, he began to climb up Yami’s leg by himself. He was expecting to be propped onto a hip, so he squawked in fright when he was lifted under the arms and dropped onto Yami’s shoulders. 

Of course the squeal startled Finral so he missed his next portal. The sudden change in tactics almost got a fireball through Asta’s defence. Once Finral was content that Luck was happy, he went back to the game.

Luck was delighted with this new perch. Yami had to keep one hand on his ankle to prevent him climbing higher and just kneeling on his head.

Despite being pitted against two five year olds, Asta was sweating by the time Yami called time for a break. The small boys were grinning, but close to hitting the limit of five year old magic. They did not have the stamina for prolonged spell casting yet. Finral wobbled and fell onto his knees, while Magna’s jumps were less exuberant than normal. 

Asta said, “That was amazing.” He put a hand out and helped Finral back to his feet. They came to sit with Yami on the bench beside the trees. 

“Did you see?” Magna asked Luck and Yami. 

“Yeah, it was okay,” Yami said. 

“Okay? Asta said it was amazing,” Magna said in indignation.

“He’s kidding,” Finral said. “He thinks it was amazing too.” He let himself flop onto the grass so that he was lying and looking at the sky. 

“Little-Finral,” Yami said with mock warning.

“I’m right. I know I am. We are amazing.”

“God damn,” Yami said. “Infuriating children. Yes. That was pretty good.”

“Told you. That means amazing,” Finral said and closed his eyes against the sun.

Vanessa made them all drink juice before they tried anything else. Once they were refreshed, she gave the boys precision work to practice. Magna had to use his fire to burn a stick to a mark, but not beyond. Finral was set to work on stretching the distance between portals. Vanessa twigged that he was relying on the portal echoes, so she encouraged him to focus on new placements. Finral whined that there had been portals everywhere here so nowhere was new. 

Luck seemed fascinated, and he tugged Vanessa as if expecting his own lesson plan. She said, “Show me what you can do?” and Luck obliged with the familiar crackles of lightning through his fingers.

She thought for a moment then pulled off a metal bracelet. “Can you put the lightning here?”

Luck’s brow furrowed, so she showed him by bringing the hand he had demonstrated his lightning with to the bracelet. Luck tried it and gasped in delight as the electricity leapt to the conductor. 

That entranced him while she reviewed Finral and Magna’s progress. When she returned she moved the bracelet a little further away. Luck moved his hand to follow, but she moved it back. 

“Try again.”

This time the lightning did not reach the bracelet, but the sparks remained on his fingertips. But he had realised what the lesson was and with a concentrated frown he tried again with a little more power. He flapped his hands in delight when it worked.

“Keep trying that,” Vanessa said, as if he needed any encouragement. 

By lunchtime they were exhausted but delighted. Magna demanded to know that everyone had seen him burning only half of the stick like ‘Miss Vanessa said’. He bounced with every compliment he received. 

Finral was just as pleased with himself. He did not beg for praise with quite the same enthusiasm as Magna, but he flushed with pride every time anyone told him that he had done well. Yami’s approval in particular made him glow. 

Luck looked as though he did not care what anyone said, so long as he got to keep firing electricity at the little metal bracelet.

Yami chased them all inside as heavy drops of rain began to fall from the sky. 

In hindsight, Yami should have realised that it was going too smoothly. After all, three brand new magic users and the human whirlwind that was Asta should never have been able to practice their destructive powers without some kind of incident. It was typical that the accident happened when the children were playing in the hideout.

Yami suggested that they go look for their bedrooms after lunch, because he would like to get the common room back after sunset. Magna and Finral were curious to see their adult self’s space, and Luck was content to be wherever Finral was. He was tired after his concentration on the magic and only Finral would do. Anyone else coming close got a small whine of distress.

So Yami sent them off to explore on their own for a bit. He made them promise not to go near the wild animals, even if they would only come away from that encounter violently licked. They were not to go in the baths, or there would be no freedom to explore again. Finral and Magna had nodded solemnly at these instructions. Magna spoiled the effect by jumping on his toes all the way through, but Finral was there to be the calm head. 

Yami should have remembered that nominating Finral as the calm head was one of the reasons they were in this position in the first place.

He sat back and drank coffee. His nerves were tingling. They were children. They needed to be given a chance to do things without supervision. At age five he had been fishing on his own. Although, he thought, look where that had ended up. But those three had just given a masterclass in magical expertise. They should manage to explore some corridors without causing too many problems.

They could not.

The first sign that something was wrong was Luck running into the common room on his own. He was panting and wide eyed. 

“Luck?” Yami said.

He grabbed Yami’s hand and pulled. 

“What’s the matter? What happened?”

His little whimpers of distress were enough. Yami let himself be pulled along. He resisted asking any more questions that would delay the boy. Whatever had happened they needed to get there first.

But that did not stop Yami speculating as he allowed Luck to guide him. Something bad had happened because why else would Luck leave the others. Yami imagined burning hallways or broken walls. 

He had a sick feeling in his stomach when Luck pulled him towards a set of poorly lit stairs. Magna was shouting. Two out of three children accounted for. What had happened to Finral?

There was blood on the edge of one of the stairs. Shit.

Magna was shouting at a bookshelf, surrounded by books that had fallen. No. He was not shouting at the bookshelf. He was shouting at Finral, tucked at the top. 

“Finral, you need to come down,” Magna sobbed. When he saw the others he threw himself at Asta and wailed. “He fell. We were running, he tripped and it was an accident and… and…”

Asta said, “Shh.”

Finral had squeezed himself into a tiny space just beyond reach. Like the last time, Luck pushed at Yami’s hands to get him to bring Finral down.

Despite the lack of light, it was clear that Finral was not okay. He clutched his left arm and his complexion was beyond pale to grey. He was shaking with fear or pain. 

Behind him, Yami could hear Magna explain to Asta, “And he wouldn’t wake up, so I made Luck come to get you. But then he got up and his arm is wrong and he was frightened and I didn’t want to hurt him more, but he was climbing to hide and I’m sorry….”

Okay, ‘wrong’ arm, loss of consciousness and confusion. Broken arm and a concussion?

“Finral,” Yami said. “You hear me?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the boy mumbled. “I won’ do again. Please. I’m sorry sir.”

“Geez, kid. It’s okay. But you need to come out now and let me see the damage.”

“‘S accident. I didn’ mean it. Sorry. Sorry.”

“Shh. Finral. It’s Yami. You are not in trouble. You fell on the stairs. You hurt your arm and bumped your head and you need to come down so I can have a look.”

“No.” His breathing started to race and he pulled himself further away. “No, no, no, no.”

“Calm down Finral. It’s okay. You're at the hideout. Magna and Luck are here. It’s only me and Vanessa and Asta, yeah.”

“Father, ‘m sorry. I didn’. I didn’. I won’ again. Sorry.”

Yami swore. “He’s not here, Finral. I told you I won’t let him hurt you.” He saw the eyes widen and made a guess, “Langris is okay. He’s not there either. He’s safe.”

The breathing slowed a little, but he still showed no sign of recognition. He was beginning to sway, and Yami thought that he was about to pass out again. 

There was a tug at Yami’s pants and he glanced down to see Luck climbing back up his leg. “Not now Luck,” he said, then realised that the boy had a point. Finral had never been hurt by another child. Adults were not to be trusted, but children were safe.

Yami lifted Luck and put him as near to Finral as he could reach without climbing on the bookshelf itself. Luck crept closer to Finral, who stared as though he could not understand what was happening. 

Luck crawled close enough to tug at the good hand. But this disturbed the position of the injured one and Finral moaned in pain. But Luck was persistent. He pulled the hand again so that it was clear that Finral was meant to go towards Yami.

Finral resisted with a whimper and tried to pull away, but Luck was having none of it. He got a hand behind a shoulder and tried to pull him out that way. Finral’s energy was waning, but he still tried to fight against it. 

Luck bared his teeth and shocked Finral’s shoulder.

Finral’s breath caught, but he whispered, “Luck?” It was more awareness than he had demonstrated up to now. Luck tugged him again, and this time Finral moved. At last he was close enough for Yami to grab.

Yami got his hands under Finral’s arms and lifted him. 

Finral panicked

He screamed, but it was fear rather than pain. His whole body writhed and he hit out with both the injured and uninjured wrist. For a moment Yami thought he was going to drop him, until Asta helped to contain him. It was like trying to hold a wild animal in terror for its life. 

“I’m going to put you on the ground,” Yami said, but it was inaudible over the screaming. With as much care as he could manage he lay the flailing child down. Asta supported his head so that he did not do more damage in his panic. Asta’s hands came away sticky with blood.

Finral lay on the ground panting and wide eyed in terror. 

Vanessa lifted Luck down too. He almost jumped from her arms and squeezed past Yami. Now that he was no longer being held against his will, the fight went out of Finral. Luck managed to squeeze himself up close and Finral put a hand on his shoulder and whispered “‘s ‘kay Langris. Not le’ ‘im hur’ you.” 

Luck squeezed closer. 

Well, shit, what were they going to do now. They could not stay at the bottom of the stairs, but if Finral reacted that way to being moved he was going to hurt himself more. His wrist was already in worse shape than it had been. 

Yami said, “Magna, come do me a favour. Tell Finral that I’m going to have to lift him up again.”

Magna was very pale, but he came to sit beside Finral. “Finral. You gotta let Mister Yami pick you up. He’s not gonna hurt you.”

Finral looked in Magna’s direction. “Wha’ happen’d?”

“You slipped on the stairs, dummy and you bashed up your head. Mister Yami’s going to help, but you’ve got to stop trying to get away.”

“Yami?”

“You know. Mister Huge. With the hard muscles.”

“Sleepy, Magna.”

Magna glanced at Asta. Asta flashed him a thumbs up. His hand was red with Finral’s blood.

“Don’t go to sleep Finral. You’re gonna let Yami carry you. Me and Luck are right here too.”

“Luck?”

“Yami can carry Luck too. He’s really strong.”

“Yeah.”

Yami was not sure that the dazed answer could be taken as assent but it was as good as he was going to get. He lifted the semi-conscious boy and this time Finral sank into his arms. He winced as his arm was jostled, then let his eyes close.

Luck scrambled up Yami’s leg, until Asta grabbed him and lifted him to Yami’s back. He clung on with his arms wrapped around Yami’s neck.

Finral was motionless until they reached the common room. He stirred when he was laid on the chair, and opened his eyes. “Yami?” he whispered.

“Hi.”

Luck scrambled down from this perch without assistance and took up his position against Finral’s side again. 

“Wha’ happened?”

“I think you slipped on the stairs.”

“Hmm.” He closed his eyes again and said, “Dizzy.”

“You made a good job of it. Think your wrist is busted too.”

Finral considered for a moment, then said, “Hurts.” He lifted the uninjured hand to the back of his head and said, “Hurts,” again. 

“Head, wrist. Anything else?”

The boy shook his head, then he squeezed his eyes even tighter closed. “Sick.”

Asta grabbed the waste paper bin and shoved it under Finral’s head in time to catch the vomit. Luck scrambled out of the way, but kept himself pressed to Finral’s legs instead. 

“Eugh,” Magna said.

“How about we go and get Finral a drink of water,” Vanessa asked him. “You did a great job helping to keep him calm.”

“I know. I told you I was good at helping.” The door opened and closed as Vanessa took Magna out of the way.

Once Finral’s stomach was empty he lay back onto the chair and said, “Sleepy.”

“Rest for a minute. Asta’s going to splint that wrist and bandage up your head. I’ll see if we can get a recovery mage to sort you out.”

“Sorry.” His eyes were closed. Luck patted him on the shoulder.

Yami found the communication disc and contacted the infirmary while Asta splinted the wrist. Finral winced, but did not make any complaints.

Aralt answered. He was one of Owen’s deputies. Yami had always found him efficient enough, if lacking Owen’s easy way with people. 

“Yami. What do you want?”

“One of my squad had a bit of an accident. He could do with a look over, if you’ve got anyone free.”

Aralt said, “You can come by the infirmary.”

“I was wondering if someone could pop round, it’s a bit sensitive…”

“Is the injured knight conscious?”

“Yeah, mostly, but….”

“And is he able to come through a portal?”

“Yeah, but…”

“Then get your spacial mage to bring him here, like everyone else does.”

“Well, Finral’s the one that’s been hurt and he’s not in any state to be making portals.”

Aralt sighed. “Him. Again. I might have guessed. Well, I can schedule you a portal for ten minutes, usual place.”

“Aralt…” Yami tried to say.

“Ten minutes.” He closed off the line.

Yami sighed. “Damn, Finral, one day you’re going to have to tell me what you did to annoy that man.”

Finral was not listening. He was lying with his eyes squeezed shut as Asta tied off the bandage.

It was not as if they had any choice. Finral needed to be seen by a recovery mage, and they had to keep all three children in close proximity to the amulet.

“Okay, kids, time for a field trip to the city. Let’s go give Aralt a heart attack.”

Ten minutes was not long to prepare. Asta went to grab the amulet. Yami wrapped Finral in a blanket and lifted him into his arms again. There was no resistance even though he was awake and watching. Vanessa and Magna returned in time to negotiate with Luck that perhaps this time he could let Yami carry one child. Luck looked rebellious, but conceded when he looked at Finral. Finral murmured sleepily.

Asta returned, which satisfied Luck. He put one of Magna’s hands in Asta’s, then he took Vanessa’s. He grabbed Yami’s pants with his free hand and glared up at him. The message was clear. Yami was going to be in serious trouble if he took Finral out of Luck’s sight.

The portal would appear in the same spot it always did. As they waited, Yami said. “Anyone who loses a child will die.”

Once they passed through the portal, the infirmary mage who was managing transport spluttered, “Captain Yami?” as he let the portal close behind them. 

“I told Aralt I had an injured squad member.”

“But, but sir, that’s a child.”

“Well spotted, idiot. Now where do I go to get him seen to.”

“His name is Finral,” Magna shouted at the mage. “And…”

Asta told him to hush.

“Oh, my god,” the mage said. “It is…”

“Where. Do. We. Go.” Yami said with enough threat that the mage sank back away and all the other people in the square turned to look. 

“Second on left,” the mage squeaked.

Yami led the way. He knew he did not imagine the crackle of lightning from behind him. Turned out Luck might be as protective of Finral as Finral was of him. 

Second on the left was a small waiting room. Finral had tensed in Yami’s arms from the noise and he whimpered with every step. “Shh,” Yami said. 

And as if this could not get any better, the waiting room was already occupied. Jack the Ripper, Captain of the Praying Mantis squad was stretched out on one of the chairs. He looked up at Yami, did a quick survey of Vanessa, Asta and the three children then cackled with delight.

“What have you been doing? Attack a school.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Looks like you’ve had fun. Got yourself some new teammates? Always knew the Bulls would take just about anyone, but children?”

Magna slipped his hand out of Asta’s and stood in front of Jack, inspecting him from head to foot. Jack opened his mouth to speak, then paused. Yami could have laughed at the way his expression changed when he realised who he was speaking to. 

“Hi,” Magna said. “I’m Magna and I’m five.” He stuck out his hand. 

Jack shook it, but stared at Yami. He mouthed ‘Magna?’ and Yami nodded.

Jack was saved from any other introductions by Finral muttering, “I’m gonna be sick,” and the hasty hunt for a receptacle. There was a selection of paper bags on the table that must have been for this situation. Asta held it for Finral while the boy vomited the remains left in his stomach. When it was finished he lay back into Yami’s arms and whimpered. 

Magna had crept closer to Jack again and said, “You are very tall and thin. Are you a stretched person?”

Asta whispered, “Rude, Magna.”

Jack still could not quite find his words. He checked out Finral, semi-conscious in Yami’s arms, and Luck fidgeting with his hem. Jack was smarter than he looked. “Finral? Luck?”

“Yep,” Yami said. 

“Are they all like this?”

“No. Just these three. Believe me, it’s enough.”

“I bet I could beat you at arm wrestling,” Magna said to Jack.

Jack turned to the boy, “Maybe you could. But why would you want to try?”

Magna bristled. “And I bet Yami could beat you at everything.”

“You start them young?” Jack asked Yami.

“I can’t help it if they’re right.”

“So what happened to portal-boy?”

“His name is Finral,” Magna corrected. “Not portal-boy.” 

Vanessa giggled. Hopefully Finral heard Magna correcting someone else’s mispronunciation of his name for once.

“Would you believe, he fell down the stairs. Whacked his head, probably broke his wrist.”

“Too loud,” Finral whimpered. 

Now that Yami was seated, Luck took this as his cue to release Vanessa’s hand and get back to his self appointed role as bodily attached to Finral in some way. He ignored Jack and climbed onto Yami’s lap so that he was as close to Finral as he could manage. Finral murmured something that might have been, ‘Langris,’ so perhaps he really should be checked out sooner rather than later. 

“And why are they… young?” Jack asked.

“A magic device,” Magna explained. “It turned us from grown up magic knights into kids. But we don’t know how to turn it back. So until then we’re getting to stay like this. What’s your magic?”

“Umm, kid. You really don’t want to see.”

“Yeah, I do. I’ve got fire magic. I could show you.”

Everyone over the age of ten in the room said, “NO,” at the same time. 

Magna shrugged. “And Vanessa can do thread magic and Yami says he can do dark magic, but I’ve never seen him do anything yet, so maybe he’s just making that up ‘cause it sounds cool. Luck can do lightning and Finral makes portals that can send fireballs anywhere. And Asta hasn’t got any magic, but he’s got an awesome anti-magic sword that you can use to defend against magic. He says you can use it for a spade too, which doesn’t seem like the sort of thing you should use a magic sword for. And I’ve met Charmy who has maybe food magic or sheep magic or pancake magic. I’m not sure. And then Owen came to see us and he had this squid magic that feels all warm and tingling. That’s all the magics that I’ve seen here, but I don’t know what yours is yet.”

Jack’s mouth was hanging open.

He was saved from having to answer by Owen hurrying into the room. He was followed by a young woman on crutches in a Mantis’s uniform.

“Yami, what the hell are you doing here? You shouldn’t be bringing them out of the mansion.”

“Tell that to the mage who answers the calls.”

“Aralt?”

“Said we had to come here. He provided a portal, so at least I didn’t have to bring him on a damn broom.”

Finral moaned again as Yami stood up. Owen glanced at Luck and Magna before saying, “Is this part of the magic?”

“No. This idiot fell down the damn stairs. Scrambled his brains a bit, and I think that wrist might be broken.”

“Hi, Mister Owen,” Magna said.

Owen took a deep breath. “Okay then. Bumped heads and wrists we can manage. If you’d like to come with me.” He turned to Jack and indicated the injured knight. “She’s going to be fine, but make sure she stays off the ankle for the next three days.”

Jack nodded.

Owen led the Yami out of the waiting area. Magna said, “Bye, Mister tall thin bug man. See you later.”

The room Owen took them to was small, just off the main clinical areas. Yami lay Finral on the bed and he wriggled in distress without opening his eyes. Luck climbed on the bed and sat at Finral’s side. He took the uninjured hand in his and patted it. He watched Owen with large serious eyes, as if daring him to ask Luck to move. 

Owen was far more sensible than that. “Thank you, Luck,” he said. “Can you stay with Finral to make sure he isn’t scared while I do my magic?”

Luck considered this. Then, as he had when he had been in the washroom, he began humming a tune, interspersed with small clicks and whistles. It was a lovely sound. Finral leaned into it, but didn’t open his eyes. 

“Hey,” Magna said, “Luck’s singing a song for Finral.”

“Shh,” Asta told him. 

Owen opened up his power to fill the room with water recovery magic. Images of sea creatures flowed through the air and danced in the glittering light. Luck’s eyes were enormous as he tried to watch everything. He did not stop his tune. 

Tendrils of the magic brushed across Finral’s face and body, then grouped around the injured wrist and around his head. “That was some bump,” Owen said to no one. “Let’s see if we can fix that up first.”

The magic fizzed and the power in the room flowed through the creatures towards the child on the bed. Luck giggled in delight as he picked up the mana flow around him. 

Owen held the spell for about ten minutes as he worked. Halfway through, he asked Luck to hold Finral’s broken wrist. Luck was more gentle than Yami had ever seen him, either as a child or an adult. The magic tangled around the misshapen joint and even as they watched it began to straighten and the bruising decreased. Luck did not let go until Owen allowed the spell to fade.

Finral shifted against Luck and sighed. The pained expression was gone from his face and he looked like he was sleeping peacefully.

“That was a good job, Luck,” Owen told him.

Luck beamed, then cuddled down beside Finral. He did not try to arrange Finral, but satisfied himself with being as close as he could be. 

Magna needed to check over Owen’s work too. “Did you fix him?” he asked once he had satisfied himself that Finral was sleeping. 

“All fixed,” Owen said. “He’s going to have to sleep a lot today, because my spell can be tiring. You’ll have to be gentle with him for a couple of days. No magic and no baseball matches, okay.”

Magna nodded.

“But after that he should be back to normal.” To Yami he said, “Keep the wrist bound for some support for a couple of days. It’ll remind your enthusiasts to be careful of it.”

“Thanks Owen, again.” 

“No problem. I’ll be back in an hour or so, but you should be fine to head off then. I’ll get some food for you.” He cracked his knuckles. “Now, I’m going to have a word with Aralt.”

Once the door closed, Yami grinned. “That’s not going to be pretty.”

A man brought trays of snacks for them that occupied Magna for a while. Luck was not interested and contented himself with the small bag of thread balls as he lay beside Finral. He continued to sing small fragments of melody. 

Vanessa broke the silence. “You’re planning something, Yami.”

She was right, of course. “Owen says he’s going to sleep, yeah. Recovery spells take it right out of you, so he’s not going to be waking up any time soon. So, what about we tell Langris he’s here? He might not get a chance to see him… like this. And maybe it’ll do him good?”

Vanessa considered. A week ago none of them would have even considered telling Langris if Finral had been hurt. Yet now, they were considering inviting him to visit.

Magna had been listening, “Langris is Finral’s brother. If I had a brother I’d want him to come and visit me if I was sick.”

Asta said, “We could tell him we’re here. He doesn’t have to come.”

“Why wouldn’t he come?” Magna demanded.

“Well, Langris is a grown up man,” Asta explained with more diplomacy than Yami thought he possessed. “He might be worried seeing that Finral is a little boy now.”

This seemed to make sense to Magna. “You should tell him not to be worried, because being a kid is great. And me and Luck are taking good care of Finral for him.”

“Well, if Magna thinks it’s a good idea,” said Yami. “You think you can run over the Golden Dawn and find him?”

Asta said, “Sure.”

“Leave the amulet here. And, no, you can’t go with him, Magna. You’ve got to stay with Finral and Luck.”

Magna looked like he was going to pout, but Asta said, “I need you to keep an eye on them all for me.”

“Sure thing, Asta,” Magna said, and might have saluted if he could.

“If you can’t find him, or he doesn’t want to come, just be back within the hour,” said Yami.

Once Asta left, Magna sat on his chair and swung his legs. “So, how long is an hour?”

It turned out an hour was a long time if you were being quizzed by a bored five year old.

“How old are you Mister Yami?”

“How did you get so big?”

“How many people live in the city?”

“Is Owen your dad?”

“Can I have another apple?”

“What kind of spells can you do?”

“Can I see your grimoire?”

“Is Owen Julius’s dad?”

“How old is Vanessa?”

“Who is your boss?”

“Is Owen Vanessa’s dad?”

“How do people get the different magic that they get?”

“Is the tall bug man your friend?”

There were more. Yami tuned out after a while. It did not seem to bother Magna who was not listening to the answers anyway. 

Asta knocked on the door and poked his head around. “I found him,” he said. 

Vanessa said to Magna, “How about you and me wait in the corridor.”

Magna objected. “I want to meet Finral’s brother too.”

“You will, but we’ll let him see Finral first. Then you can say hello.”

“But Luck is getting to stay.”

“You talk more than Luck, and it might be distracting.” 

There was no argument that Magna could make with that. But he stood at the door and inspected Langris from head to foot before he left.

Yuno had invited himself along too. No wonder, looking at the state of Langris. He was pale with dark rings under his eyes as though he had not been sleeping. He had both his hands stuffed into his pockets and he scowled down at Magna. 

Despite this, Magna seemed to decide that Langris would be permitted entry. “You mustn’t worry, Langris,” he said as he patted him on the arm. “We are taking very good care of Finral. Even though it was a bit my fault that we were running near the stairs.”

Yuno made a choking noise that might have been to cover a laugh. Or it might not.

Langris paused before saying, “Thank you.”

“Come on, Magna,” said Vanessa. “Let’s wait out here for a bit.”

Asta entered first. Yuno followed Langris and may have given him a small shove at the doorway. Yuno closed the door behind them and leaned against it. Either he was preventing escape or admittance. It was not clear.

Langris made it two steps before he stopped. His face paled even more as he looked at Finral sleeping on the bed. Asta was hovering close, ready to catch him if he passed out. 

Luck looked at Langris with his head tilted to one side. Yami said, “Luck, this is Finral’s brother, Langris.”

Luck wriggled away from Finral and climbed up to stand on the edge of the bed. Then, without warning, he threw himself at Langris. 

Poor Langris looked like he already had no idea what he had expected when he entered the room. Whatever it was, suddenly having his arms full of a child was not one of them. He startled like Finral did if there was an unexpected noise, then when it was clear that Luck was not using this as some kind of surprise attack he relaxed. He raised a hand and patted Luck awkwardly on the back.

Luck did the same to Langris.

That was definitely a laugh from Yuno this time.

Once Luck had decided that he had welcomed Langris, he squirmed down and took Langris’s hand in his and pulled him to the bedside. 

Finral was still fast asleep with no sign of movement. Nothing would wake someone after healing a concussion and broken bones. Luck pushed Langris to sit on the chair closest to the bed. 

Langris’s eyes were fixed on his brother. Yami did not like to think about the complexity of the emotions he was trying to process. Langris had never been the most emotionally competent in the first place. His ki was a complicated mixture of fear, horror, guilt, and somewhere deep in it, a thread of love that Yami did not think he had ever felt from the younger Vaude brother. 

Luck initially seemed content in his organisation, but soon became frustrated. His scowl did not make any impression, so he decided to sort things himself. He took Langris’s hand in his and brought it to touch Finral’s. Langris pulled away and there was a flare of guilt in his ki. Luck was having none of that. He took Langris’s hand again and guided it back. This time he did not let go until he seemed satisfied that Langris wasn’t going to try to escape. He patted the joined hands, then clambered onto Langris’s lap. 

It took some time, but Langris was becoming calmer. That changed the instant Luck put his hand into the young man’s hair and ran his fingers through the same way Finral did. 

Langris looked like he wanted to bolt and freeze at the same time. 

“Langris,” Yuno said. “You okay?”

“Finral used to… used to do this,” he said in a small voice. He raised his hand to Luck’s tucked into his hair. 

Yami said, “Finral’s been teaching him.”

“I had forgotten,” Langris whispered. 

Luck used his free hand to wipe the tears from Langris’s face. 

Yuno said, “Damn Langris. Hug the kid. You’re the most emotionally constipated person I’ve ever met.” 

Yami looked at Yuno, and thought, pot, meet kettle. But maybe there was something in it. Langris cautiously put his free arm around Luck. Luck responded in kind, but didn’t take his hand away from Langris’s hair. 

Yuno whispered to Asta, “Does Luck not talk?”

“No,” Asta replied. “But, Magna makes up for it.”

Luck and Langris stayed like that until Langris’s tears dried up. He swallowed and collected himself. “What happened?”

“He fell down the stairs,” Yami said. “They spent the whole morning chucking fireballs through portals, then he falls down the damn stairs and knocks himself out. Sort of typical Finral really.”

“His magic? He was doing magic.”

“Yeah. Pretty high end stuff for a five year old.”

“Was.” Langris paused and stared at his brother. “Was it okay?”

“Do you mean were the portals okay?”

“No. No. I mean. Was it okay with you?”

“Langris, that doesn’t make any sense. Explain better.”

Luck sensed that Langris was becoming upset and hugged him again. As he did he scowled at Yami. God damn it. Finral takes Luck under his wing, and tiny Luck decides to return the favour for fully grown Langris. It was absurd. 

“I remember… I remember when Finral learned to use his magic, he was so pleased. He showed me first and it was a tiny portal that we could put buttons through. I remember because when my father saw it he was angry. So angry. He could never control himself back then. And you can guess. Finral was so happy, and then, father happened. And it wasn’t like that with you.”

It was not a question, but Yami felt the need to answer anyway. “No, Langris. It was not like that with us.”

“Thank you.”

There was another moment of silence until a knock at the door. Langris startled again, but it was only Owen. “Oh, hello Yuno, Langris,” he said, as if there was nothing out of the ordinary to find the vice-captain of the Golden Dawn in tears in one of his sick rooms. Holding a child. 

Yuno said, “Owen.”

“I just want to bind up that wrist before he’s ready to go home,” Owen said to Yami, but obviously for Langris’s benefit. 

Langris tried to stand up. “I should get out of your way.”

“It’s no problem. He’s not going to wake up just now and you and Luck are not in the way. Luck helped me with the recovery spell earlier.”

Luck inflated his chest with pride. 

Owen waited until they had seated themselves again before checking the movements of the injured wrist and then binding it with a small bandage and a simple splint. “That should come off in a couple of days,” he told Yami. “Once it’s off, he should be encouraged to use it as much as possible to strengthen it again. Do you have any questions?”

Yami shook his head. “Langris, you got anything to ask?”

Langris was staring at Finral again. “No. I got all my answers. Thank you,” he said, back to the professional magic knight. 

Yuno interrupted, “Well, no, I’ve got questions. Sorry Yami, Owen. Finral’s father was a bastard who hurt him when he was a little kid. Are there any signs of those injuries?” Langris was white-faced again. Luck was glaring at Yuno as he sensed he was the reason for Langris’s distress. “Langris. I have listened to you agonise over this stuff for days. Owen and Yami are here and they can answer your questions, but you’ve got to ask them. Or I will.”

Wow, thought Yami. Who knew that Mister Cool and Collected knew how to string that many words into a sentence.

Owen pushed his glasses up his nose and said, “We think it’s a time spell rather than a transformation spell, so yes. When I examined Finral a couple of days ago, there was evidence of old injuries. Bruising on his back and legs, scarring from burns and healing friction burns on his ankles and wrists.”

Asta paled. Even Yuno looked a little shocked. Only Langris looked blank. 

Yuno waited a moment to see if Langris would respond. When he didn’t, he said, “Are there signs that it’s affected him?”

“Well,” Owen said, “Perhaps Yami would be better placed to answer that.”

“Do you mean, does he freak out whenever someone raises their voice, flinches when an adult comes near, won’t put his face in the water, and only wears stuff with long sleeves, then yeah. A bit.”

Yuno said, “Does Langris’s father have any say over what happens to Finral if he stays a child?”

“No,” Owen said. 

“Hell no,” Yami said at the same time. “He got disowned. He said he never wanted to go back there, and I promised that I would never let someone hurt him like that again. So no. His... your father will never be near him again. And if he’s wise, he’ll never be near me or any of the rest of my squad either. I won’t be responsible for what happens to him if he does.”

Langris nodded. 

“Do you think you can reverse this?” Yuno said.

“Yes. But at the moment it’s a fifty fifty chance that we reverse it or make it permanent. We’re still trying to find out if we can narrow those odds, but we might have to chance it.”

“Will you,” Yuno paused, then rephrased. “Can you tell Langris what you decide you’re going to do?”

“Sure. You want to be his next of kin or something.”

Langris shook his head. “No. No thank you.”

“Anything else.”

Langris did not respond.

Yuno tutted. “I can’t believe you are making me do this. Does he hate Langris?”

Asta smiled. Yami laughed, “No, idiot. He doesn’t hate you. He never hated you, ever. He knows the difference between what your mother and father did and what you did, even if you don’t. He calls Luck ‘Langris’ in his sleep. It still calms him knowing that you aren’t still in Tota. You're his clever little brother.” Yami stared until Langris looked up and met his eye. “He loves you more than anything, no matter how old he is. Don’t forget it.”

Langris’s eyes were dry at last. 

“You done?” Yami asked Yuno.

“I think they were the main ones. Thanks.”

“Langris. You got anything else?”

Langris shook his head. 

Luck hugged Langris again. Then he climbed down and onto the bed again to curl up beside Finral.

Langris stood. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“Langris,” Yami said. “I can’t believe I’m saying this to you, but, damn. If you want to come visit the hideout, go ahead. Finral would love to see you. Luck maybe too, if he remembers this.”

“Thank you,” Langris said again. “Thank you for letting me know what happens too. And.” He paused and looked at Luck. “Thank you for letting Finral look after you. Thank you for looking after him too. And me.”

Luck tilted his head to one side again.

Once Langris left, Yuno lingered a moment and said. “Captain Yami, Owen. That helped. Thank you. I think he might sleep better.”

“Good job, Yuno,” Yami said.

“I wish you’d found someone else to find him. But, it might as well have been me.”

“I don’t think there was anyone better, Yuno.”

Yuno did not answer as he left. 

Owen ran his hand through his hair. “Intense boys. Are you going home now?”

“Yeah. Don’t think I can handle any more emotional turmoil today. Hey, Luck, you ready to go home.”

Luck lifted his arms into the air to be carried. He refused Asta’s offer and instead climbed up Yami and onto his shoulders so that Yami could also carry Finral. “Thinking I’m getting the short straw here guys.”

He made sure the sleeping boy was well wrapped up in the blanket before they left. Magna and Vanessa were waiting for them in the corridor. “That seemed to go okay?” Vanessa said, then clarified, “Well, Yuno looked less like he was going to kill Langris when they came out.”

“Yeah, I think so. Langris is going to need some serious debriefing. I’m going to speak to Vangeance about him.”

“You know, it doesn’t sound like you hate him.”

“I think they might be more alike than we realised.” They had almost reached the main square where the infirmary mage was portaling people to their destination.

“Can we go home now?” Magna said, “Because this is boring now, and if Finral is going to sleep for ages can we go… who are they?”

Yami swore. Damn Jack needed to learn to keep his mouth shut.

Fuegoloen, Nozel, and the Prickly Princess herself.

Goddammnit.

“So Jack was correct,” Fuegoleon said. “There has been some sort of incident.”

“Hey, guys,” Yami said. “You should have told me we were going to have a meeting in the middle of the infirmary. I’d have left the kids at home.”

Nozel was staring. “Do you have a child on your shoulders, Yami?”

“Wow. Top of the class for observation, Nozel. You know your sister came to talk to you about this don’t you? You’re the only one who shouldn’t look surprised.”

“Noelle? She was alluding to… to this? She said it was theoretical.”

“Shit, Nozel. You believed her? Like this is something anyone would ask a theoretical question about.”

“He has a point,” Fuegoleon said.

Charlotte had not said anything. She was staring at Yami, then Luck on his shoulders, and Finral asleep in his arms. She looked like she was trying to make words out of broken bits of thoughts. 

Magna, always the gentleman even when he did not mean to be, came to her rescue. He strode up to the three squad captains and said, “Hello, I’m Magna and I’m five.” He stuck out his hand.

Yami almost forgave Jack all his past and future transgressions for the look on the Captains’ faces as they had to introduce themselves to the five year old.

Fuegoleon went formal. He shook Magna’s hand with all the pomp of an aristocrat. “I’m Fuegoleon Vermillion. I am Captain of the Crimson Lions. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Magna looked at Nozel next.

Nozel sighed. “Nozel Silva. Silver Eagles.” His handshake was the briefest brush of hands.

Then it was Charlotte’s turn.

“HelloI’mCharlotteRoselelioftheBlueRoses,” she said. 

Magna looked back at Yami, at a loss what to do next.

“That’s Charlotte,” Yami said.

Magna said. “Hello Charlotte.” Then he turned to the rest of the Bulls. “So, I guess you know everyone. But just in case, that’s Vanessa who’s laughing. I don’t know why Asta’s gone that funny red colour. And Yami is our Captain. That’s Luck on his shoulders, and Finral’s sleeping because he fell down the stairs and scrambled his brains. But Owen fixed him with his recovery spell. And now we’re going home because it’s a bit boring here and Finral’s got to sleep for ages before he’s better. So it was nice to meet you all. Maybe we can see you another time. Bye.”

And he walked past them on the way to the portal.

There was nothing else for the rest of Bulls to do but follow. Vanessa managed to stutter, “Bye, everyone.” She had to pull Asta behind her. He seemed to have lost the ability to walk and talk. 

The mage on the portal did not know what on earth was going on, but he knew he wanted it out of his infirmary. He said, “Black Bulls Hideout?”

Magna said, “Yes please.” 

“Well,” Yami said. “Like the kid said. It’s getting to be a bit boring here. Maybe I’ll see you another time.”

And he stepped through the portal after the rest of his squad. 

When it closed behind them, it was too much to hold the laughter in. “Magna,” Vanessa said. “That was the most wonderful thing I have ever seen in my life. Wonderful.”

Asta collapsed onto the grass. “I have never seen Nozel look so… Nozel.”

Yami could only laugh. And laugh. Because, shit, it was hilarious. It almost made the stress and worry and angst worth it. Nozel’s face. And Fuegoleon’s expression. And Charlotte losing control of her words. Brilliant.

His only regret was that Finral had slept through tiny-Magna’s dismissal of the three most powerful mages in the kingdom. But he would enjoy telling him the story later.

When they were back inside, he put Finral down on the common room sofa again. Maybe tonight he’d find them a proper bedroom. Luck checked the quality of his tucking in and arranged Finral’s hair out of his eyes. Then he sat with Vanessa and Magna to draw. 

\--

Noelle checked in a while later. “Where were you?” she demanded. “Charmy answered and said that you were out. Just that. Out.”

“We were at the infirmary, Noelle,” Yami said. 

She gasped, Gray squeaked, and Gordon mumbled. “What happened?” Noelle asked. “Is everyone okay?”

“They are now. Which is why we went to the infirmary. Finral fell down the stairs. They spent the morning lobbing fireballs about, but the idiot gives himself a concussion and a broken wrist on the stairs. He’s fine, he’s fine,” he said as everyone tried to ask questions at once. “We had to go because Aralt is an idiot. Owen sorted Finral out and he’s sleeping it off. I’m going to feed them soon, and then maybe find them a real bedroom. How did your thing get on?”

“It was a bust, sir. Not a thing. The tower doesn’t look like it's been lived in for years. We found some old manuscripts, so whoever was here was researching lots of things. Gauche can tell you more, if he is speaking to you now.”

“I’m not,” Gauche said, but pulled the communicator disc away from Noelle so he was centre of the image. “But. It looks like they were investigating things to prolong life, anti-aging potions and other artefacts even more mythical than the Amulet of Youth. There was some kind of fountain in the Heart Kingdom. It’s all discarded scraps though. There is nothing about the amulet.” He shoved the disc back to Noelle.

“So, Grumpy thinks that whoever lived here moved out years ago and took the important research with them. There’s nothing to say where they went to next, or even when. It looks like a dead end. We’re going to collect some of the magical objects that look interesting, and maybe Sally could look at them, but there doesn’t look like anything here that helps.”

“Could any of the objects be relevant?”

“Gauche doesn’t think so.”

“They look like magical trash,” Gauche’s voice said.

“We can see what Sally thinks about them, but I agree with Gauche. There isn’t anything here that looks even a little bit like the amulet. Grey talked to some of the villagers, and they remember an old man living here about ten years ago. He never interacted with anyone, and one day he disappeared. They don’t visit the tower because they thought he’d died. I think this is a dead end, sir.”

“Thanks Noelle. Gauche, Gordon, you too.”

“We’ll finish up here, take this junk to Sally, and then we’ll come home. Sorry sir.”

“You can’t find something that isn’t there. And Noelle, thank you for being circumspect when you discussed this with Nozel.”

“What?”

“He saw us in the infirmary. He had no idea what had happened. I haven’t laughed so much in ages.”

Yami thumbed off the disc. 

Vanessa was doodling on a piece of paper. Luck had the small thread balls and was arranging them, while Magna had discovered the joy of scissors and piles of scrap paper. “You know,” she said. “Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way. We know someone was investigating the amulet. We guess they’re still alive somewhere. Maybe we should be letting them know that we have it?”

“How do you propose we do that?” Yami asked.

“Well, if they couldn’t tell that it had been activated in the first place, a visit to the Capital in full view of four magic knight squad captains might get the word around.”

\--

Yami woke Finral for dinner. He was bleary and uncoordinated on waking, and did not look like he was quite awake despite Magna’s happy chatter at him. The only topic that got a reaction was that Magna had met Langris and he seemed okay. Finral had blinked at that, and Yami said, “Langris is fine. He visited when you were sleeping.”

“There was another man and he’s called Yuno. He’s Langris’s friend. So that’s good, isn’t it.” Magna said.

Finral nodded. 

His eyes kept closing, and the only reason he managed to eat anything was that Luck kept putting pieces of food into his mouth. 

“Get him to drink too,” Yami said to Luck.

Luck grabbed the cup and brought it to Finral’s mouth. This was perhaps a step too far, because Finral tried to move away, and ended up wet with water. Asta had the bright idea of the straws from the cocktail making kit, and that worked much better. Magna adored the little paper parasols, so soon they were in everyone’s drink.

When the food was finished, Finral was leaning against Yami with his eyes closed. “Hey, Finral. Get changed into your pyjamas then you can sleep.” 

Charmy had laundered last night's pyjamas, so they smelt of soap and fresh air. Magna and Luck changed. Luck had help from Asta with the over the head parts.

Yami said to the boy dozing on his arm, “You think you can get your clothes off.”

“Hmm.”

Vanessa said to Magna and Luck, “Let’s go and get your teeth brushed.”

Luck was reluctant to leave Finral, but Vanessa was insistent. 

That left Yami to help Finral change. He was floppy, but did not resist the change of shirt. But when Yami went to pull off his pants, he murmured something and tried to push Yami’s hands away. Asta was hovering nearby.

“Finral, it’s Yami. You need to get your pants off if you're going to put on pyjamas.”

“No,” the boy said, even though his eyes were still closed and he was leaning into Yami’s support. His breathing was speeding up and his pulse was faster. His ki was full of fear. 

Yami met Asta’s eye. Well, if this had not already been messed up.

“Okay kid. No hassle. We can just leave them. It’s fine.”

The panic eased and without opening his eyes, Finral climbed onto Yami’s lap and his breathing slipped into sleep. 

Magna was chattering away when he came back and Luck was bouncing with his hand in Vanessa’s. When Magna saw Finral asleep he said, “Is it bedtime?” He never mentioned the pyjama bottoms, but Vanessa raised a querying eyebrow.

Yami gave a small shake of his head, which was enough.

“Yes. And tonight we are going to find a real bedroom,” Yami said. 

“We found one, when we were looking,” Magna said. “Come on, we’ll show you.”

Vanessa and Asta had to come along as well.

Magna opened the door of the room that they had decided was to be their bedroom. 

“Shit, Magna. This is my room.”

Magna smiled. “See, that bed's big enough for me and Finral and Luck. And you can sleep on that sofa instead of the one in the other room.”

Yami was sure that there were other solutions, but Luck was already climbing onto the bed and arranging a suitable place for Finral. So Yami, all in favour of a quiet life, deposited the sleeping child into the prepared place and Luck curled up beside him. Luck was asleep in two or three breaths. That only left Magna to bounce around demanding a story. The mission reports were still in the common room, so Yami settled himself on the sofa and told the story of the aborted boar hunt in Sosshi in Finral’s report style.

Magna lay down and stuffed his thumb in his mouth to listen.

Yami was not sure which of them fell asleep first.

\--

The old man cursed as he pulled his blankets tighter. The night was cold and he was still no closer to his aim. He had watched the children play in the morning, but only the big Captain had come near to his trap on the bench. The old man had no intention of snaring such a fighter. It was the children or nothing at all. They had left and returned through a portal, but they had never come back outside.

He was cold, sore and angry. He could feel the effects of the potion wearing off, and he should be returning to his tower. He thought of the old tower that he had abandoned years ago. His new one was even better concealed and further into the forsaken realm. 

He was so close. The transport device was one use only and he’d never make another. If he did not acquire the children or the amulet with this trap, he would have to accept that he would never gain it. 

One more day, he thought. He felt the tightness spread across his chest, but ignored it. One more day.


	5. Day 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fairytail1230 and I were discussing when this story is set. Imagine a time after the battle with the elves when Asta's trial never happened. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

“Good morning, Yami. I’m going to go to the toilet myself again today so that you don’t have to be disturbed.”

“Great, Magna. You’re really getting the hang of not disturbing me in the morning for this.”

“Thanks.”

Yami stretched and felt his joints pop. This was not as comfortable as the sofa downstairs. Luck was asleep tucked in his usual position against Finral, but Finral was awake and watchful. 

“Little-Finral. You back with us again?”

A small nod. “What happened to my arm?”

“Magna said you guys were running and you fell down the stairs. You knocked yourself around a bit.”

Finral frowned as he considered. “I don’t remember any of that. We were exploring the hideout. I found a room to play racquetball.”

“You bumped your head and gave yourself a concussion so it’s no wonder you can’t remember. You left blood all over the steps.” Finral raised his hand to touch the dried blood still in his hair. “We had a trip to the infirmary and Owen sorted you out. You can ask Magna about it.”

“Langris. Magna was talking about Langris. I don’t remember him being there.”

“Getting healed up by a recovery spell takes a lot of energy. You were sleeping and Langris came to visit. He’s fine.” Mostly fine. Yami hoped he was more fine this morning than yesterday.

“Magna said he had a friend with him?”

“He’s one of Asta’s friends too, from when they were kids. His name is Yuno. He’s in the same magic knight squad as Langris.”

“Langris hasn’t ever had friends before.”

“You know, that might still be true. But Yuno’s doing a good job. Langris was a bit, well, weird about all this.” Weirder than normal, Yami thought but did not say.

Satisfied with the explanation, Finral waved his splint around. “How long have I got to wear this. I don’t think I can make portals with it on.”

“Owen says no portals for a couple of days.”

“Aw. Yami.”

“Well, stop knocking yourself out.”

“Sorry. I should have been more careful.”

“Don’t apologise kid. Nothing I can do is going to be worse than no portals for two days.” Yami was not going to mention the worse had been the terror as Finral hid on top of the bookshelf. No child should experience that. 

He lay back on the pillow and threw his uninjured hand over his face. “Two days. That’s forever Yami. What on earth am I supposed to do for two whole days?” 

“You’ve only been able to make portals since the day before yesterday. You’ll just have to manage.”

Finral moaned, then opened his eyes and checked out the room for the first time. “Where are we?”

“Magna said you found this room and decided you were going to sleep here.”

“I don’t remember deciding that.”

“You scrambled your brains. I think most of yesterday is going to be a blank.”

“I remember making portals for the fireballs. We were throwing them at Asta. It was amazing.”

“Yeah. It was quite good, I suppose.”

“It was amazing.” Finral looked around. “Is it your room?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool. I like it. Are we in your bed?”

“Who else is going to have a bed in my room?”

“Thanks. You should get another bed in here for you to sleep on. Or do you always sleep on the couches?”

“You small people stole my bed.”

Finral recognised the teasing. He grinned. “I was sleeping. You put me here. It’s your own fault.”

"That’s a fair point." 

Finral lay back on the bed and looked at the roof. He was still for a long time. Yami could almost hear the cogs inside the boy’s brain as he thought through something big. Sometimes Little-Finral was the same as his adult counterpart.

“Yami. Do you miss us being grown-up us? I mean. We’re a lot of work. And you’ve kept us safe and done more fun stuff with us than I ever thought I could do ever. But sometimes you look sad. Like you’re remembering something that I can’t.”

“Yeah. I miss the grown up Finral sometimes. But I like having you around too.”

“Noelle, and the others. The man with the face and the girl that becomes other people. And Gauche.” There was still a coolness in Finral’s tone at the name. “They’re trying to find out how to change us back. But… But what if I don’t want to be someone else?”

“Damn. It’s a bit early in the day for these big thoughts.”

Finral was not to be dissuaded. “What if I want to stay a kid, and live here with you and everyone else. With Luck and Magna and Vanessa and Asta. And you could be my family.”

Well, shit. They had been looking for a way to return the three of them back to adults, but maybe it was not that simple. He thought of the things that he knew Finral had lived through as a child. And then he thought of the things that he suspected and it made him feel sick. He thought of Langris, who was a shivering wreck just remembering their childhood. Who would not want to save a friend from that? He looked at Luck curled up and beginning to wake. Finral was carding his hands through his hair. Who knew what Luck had experienced to make him think that the only way to interact with people was challenging them to a fight. And Magna. He deserved a choice too.

This was a complicated people thing. Where was Julius when you needed him?

“Well, Finral. First thing. The Bulls are your family. Don’t ever doubt that. We will always be your family, whether you are five or twenty. But, shit. You’re right. We don’t know how to reverse this. We’re going to have to do something, because you guys can’t be kept shackled to the amulet forever. But I promise we’ll ask you what you want us to do. We won’t reverse it unless you want us to. Because. You are kinda nice to have around. Except Magna. He’s loud.”

“You’re kidding again.”

“So. You gonna hit me.”

“Nah. I know you’re lying. You like Magna too.”

“Well, he did absolutely dismiss the Captains of three magic knight squads in one go. It was brutal. I want to introduce him to Vangeance, and see if he’ll do the same thing.”

“Yami. You’re really weird.”

“Yup. And I know you like me too.”

They were saved from further emotional revelations, to Yami’s relief, by Magna’s return. He climbed onto Yami and said, “Good morning. It’s sunny and I want to throw fireballs at Asta again.”

“After breakfast. And a wash.”

“Can we go back in the bath? Please. Please. That would be great. Can we get Asta to come too?”

If these guys stayed as kids, they would never get any actual Magic Knight work done. Maybe he would ask Julius for family leave.

Shit. He was thinking about it. Shit. What were they doing to him?

“Right kids. I’m going to… to do something. Don’t do anything destructive until I come back. No magic. Magna. Owen said Finral wasn’t to make any portals for two days. Finral. If I come back and find any part of this room on fire I will burn you both. Understood.”

As Yami closed the door behind him he heard Magna say. “He’s going for a shit isn’t he.”

“Yeah…” Finral answered.

\--

When he returned, he considered having Magna burn the room down anyway and getting Henry to make a new one. It would be easier than cleaning. 

Were pillow fights something that children discovered the minute they were left alone in a room with actual pillows in it? Magna and Finral froze mid blow, so the only movement in the room was the settling cloud of feathers. Luck did not have a pillow. He stilled for a second, before giggling and flapping his hands at the feathers as they floated to the ground. 

Finral’s face fell and he shrank into himself. Even Magna looked a little contrite. 

“Want to confess, anyone?”

“Asta did it?” Magna said hopefully.

Finral’s expression crumpled further and the panicked tears were getting ready to start.

Asta must have heard the disturbance from his room. He poked his head into the room past Yami. “What did I do?”

“When did you start this pillow fight?”

Asta glanced at Magna’s hopeful expression, Finral’s incipient panic and lied, “Oh, about five minutes ago. You weren’t here because you were having a dump, and surpassing your limits and everything. But this was my idea. Totally.”

“Idiot.” Yami said, and knocked him on the head.

Finral was looking between them both, “But,” he started to say. 

Magna tried to signal with all the subtlety of an unsubtle five year old. So, none. Asta winked at Finral. In a stage whisper he said, “I think we got away with it, guys. He doesn’t suspect a thing.”

Finral still looked horrified, but he closed his mouth again. 

Luck squealed at them both. The feathers had all landed on the floor, and the demand was clear. ‘More please.’

Yami picked up a cushion. If you can’t get the little people into trouble, at least you can beat them at their own game.

In the end, even Luck had to evacuate Yami’s bedroom because of too many feathers. He was wearing a pillow’s worth in his hair and clothes and his eyes were sparkling with delight. Magna was as happy. He hopped beside Asta, describing his best attacks with full reenactment. 

Finral was smiling too. He had feathers in his hair. He slipped his hand into Yami’s.

“Okay, children. Breakfast.”

“Pancakes,” Magna shouted, as he ran off towards the kitchen.

It turned out that according to Charmy’s breakfast rules, it was now acceptable to have pancakes again. Magna begged to help, and he was soon under the careful eye of one of the sheep cooks. 

It must have been a conscientious sheep cook, because of all three children, four if you included Asta, which Yami did, Magna turned out to be the cleanest by the time they finished eating. Luck had stuck every feather to himself with syrup without seeming to try. Finral was sitting too close to Luck to remain unsticky for long. Perhaps they were going to have to ask Owen for a new wrist splint. And Asta. Asta was Asta. Enough said. 

So the bath became less optional and more of a necessity if Luck wanted to do something without attaching to the furniture. 

The clean swimming things were in the changing rooms. Magna divested himself of his clothes and Luck managed his own without help. Finral gritted his teeth together and pulled off his shirt while the others were still in the room. Yami took Magna and Luck with him and gave Finral a thumbs up.

Finral gave a relieved grin as he pulled on the swimming shirt.

The bath itself proceeded without major emotional turmoil too. Yami left the face cloth out for Finral to clean his own face. Luck joined in Magna and Asta’s rough play, squealing with delight as he was thrown into the water. Once, he landed too close to Finral and when he came up out of the water he swam to Finral to pat him down in apology. 

Vanessa helped Finral wash the blood out of his hair. She was gentle and Finral relaxed like a sleepy kitten. 

When there was more water on the side of the bath than inside it, Yami chased them all to get dressed. Magna declared he was going to make the biggest fireball anyone had ever seen and Finral glared at the splint Yami was replacing on his wrist. Yami told him, “The wrist isn’t the problem, little-Finral. It’s the scrambled brains.”

Finral scowled. “My head feels fine.”

“If Owen says two days then it's two days. House rule. Do what Owen tells you.”

Finral sighed. “Can I take the drawing things outside?”

“Sure.”

So when Magna was busy throwing fireballs at Asta, Finral sat on the bench close to the trees with paper and paints. Luck had the small bag of balls and was ordering them. Yami sat with them for a while.

“Small people. I’m going to get a coffee.”

Luck did not acknowledge him. Finral looked up from his current map of the Clover kingdom and said. “Can we get juice?”

“Okay.”

As Yami walked back to the hideout, it happened.

There was a crack like a single concussion of thunder and the pull of serious magic. The air smelled of ozone.

By the time he had turned around with his katana drawn, scraps of paper were floating to the burnt grass. Finral and Luck were gone.

Magna started to scream.

\--

Luck knows that they were in the garden and now they are not. 

He does not know why, or what happened . A lot of things that happen in his life like that. Sometimes they are good things, like pancakes and baths and being high on Yami’s shoulders. Sometimes they are bad things. 

This feels like a bad thing.

The grass was green in the garden. He could smell the earth and Finral nearby. Finral was drawing, scratch scratch scratch on the paper. Luck had the hard soft balls that moved the right way between his fingers. Yami was there and he was going away but it was not a sad going. He said, “Small people. I’m going to get a coffee.”

Finral said, “Can we get juice?”

Yami said, “Okay.”

Yami walked away. One step, two steps, three steps. Luck hears them.

Then there is magic everywhere. It fizzes and tingles all over. Luck smells it like a tickle in his nose. His skin itches with it. 

They are not in the garden any more.

He can smell old paper and damp. It’s cold. Finral is there but the scratch scratch scratch is gone. Finral starts to shout. There are too many other things in Luck’s head now to find the words Finral is using. Too many words. Too fast. 

Luck likes Finral. Likes the way he smells of magic and the way he isn’t afraid to touch Luck and how he runs his fingers through Luck’s hair. Luck likes Magna too. He smells of charcoal and he feels warm. His words all tumble together.

Magna isn’t here.

Finral is angry. Angry scared.

He’s squeezing Luck’s hand so that his fingers are all squashed together. Finral is using his hand to pull Luck so that he’s tucked beside his back. 

The room is big. Not so big as the big room with the sofa to sleep on. Bigger than the room with the bed. There are lots of things that Luck does not know names for. Books, and paper and bottles and colours. The floor is made of stones. Two windows. Sun shines through the glass bottles and there are small rainbows on the wall. 

Finral is shouting. 

Then another voice. Someone else is here. It is a hiss crackle voice. 

There is a bang on the table. Bang. The rainbows shiver in the sun. Luck watches them. He wonders where Magna is.

Finral uses his hand to push Luck towards the wall away from the rainbows. Luck tries to object, but Finral is strong and Luck wants to shock him but he hears a new thing. 

Finral is crying. Scared scared.

Why is Finral scared? He was scared when he was on the shelf and Yami made Luck go and get him, but he was scared because he was hurt. Is he hurt now? Luck can’t smell blood this time. 

The hiss crackle voice again. Luck only catches some of the words because there are too many other things in the space the words should be, “...just need to… how it worked…”

Luck has to lean around Finral to see, because Finral has put his body in between Luck and the new person.

The new person is Vanessa-tall. His clothes are purple. He has a beard that is long and white. Luck does not know this person. 

Where is Magna? Where is Yami? Why is Finral scared? Is it the purple beard hiss crackle man making Finral scared?

Luck will look after Finral. But he isn’t sure how. Luck wants to take Finral home and find Magna and Yami and Asta and Vanessa. Yami helped when Finral was hurt. 

Finral is pushing back further but there is a wall and Luck is getting squashed against it. The purple man is coming closer. Finral tries to…

The man grabs Finral and it is the wrist that has the bandage and Finral screams. He wriggles and kicks the man. He fights, but he keeps hold of Luck. He screams and screams. 

The man drops Finral’s wrist and hits him across the face. “Shut up,” he says. 

Finral stops screaming. Now Luck can smell blood. There is blood on Finral’s lip. Finral is breathing fast and loud. He is still crying. 

The man starts pulling Finral again. It is the wrist that was hurt. The man is talking hiss crackle. Luck hears some words. “Stay here… don’t try anything… saw your magic.”

Finral is breathing too hard to speak. The rainbows are still on the wall. 

The purple man pushes them down to sit on the cold stones. Finral is shaking all over. Luck squeezes his body close. 

The purple man goes away. He comes back with a rope.

“... quiet and… tie one of you… find out how it works,” the man says. His face is looking at Finral 

Luck does not understand. The words don’t make sense. 

Finral is shaking and shaking. He feels of terror terror terror. He is squeezing Luck’s hand so hard that it hurts. The purple man puts the rope on Finral’s leg and ties it in a knot. He ties the end of the rope to a silver metal loop on the wall.

Finral shakes and he whines and he is scared. His eyes are big and wide and there are tears on his face. This is more scared than he was when he was hurt and on the shelf. 

Luck runs his hands through Finral’s hair but now it doesn’t help and Luck starts to feel scared too. Because something is making Finral scared. Where are Yami and Asta and Vanessa to keep them safe?

Luck wants the man to take the rope away from Finral’s ankle, because Finral is pulling it. Pulling and pulling and pulling and it won’t come loose. 

The man doesn’t come. He is standing at a desk and he’s moving things. He’s shouting, “...need another dose…. Where…” Luck can’t hear any more over Finral’s breathing and the fear. The rope is ripping at Finral’s skin and Luck can smell more blood.

Luck wants Yami to make it better the way he made top of the shelf better and the time when the soft hard balls were not there. 

The purple man is shouting more. He is throwing things on the desk. He is breathing fast like Finral now. He throws a bottle and it hits the wall and there is a burst and bits of hard glass flying in the air. Luck feels them scratch his skin. The bottle had stuff inside and it smells sharp and tight. The liquid is on the wall. It slides down in long drips.

The man has lost something. He is looking and looking and he cannot find it. He was angry. Now he is full of fear. A crease and folding comes on his face. He has his arm across his chest.

Finral is still pulling at the rope. He’s pulling and his skin is ripping. Luck puts his hand on Finral’s hurt hand. He uses his sparks.

Finral jumps. But it is a good jump because now his eyes are looking at Luck. Finral’s eyes are red. The hand is still tugging the rope but it is not ripping now. Luck uses the spark hand to run through Finral’s hair. 

Finral is breathing fast. But he is trying to be still and watch the man. Luck doesn’t know what the man is doing. But Finral will know because he can understand the words the man is shouting. It is too loud and busy for Luck. 

The man is shouting and he stumbles against the table and things fall off. The noise is loud and the smells are sweet and thick and fizzy. The man’s arm is tight, tight across his chest. He is making word noises, but also bubbling noises that are not words. Finral is pulling Luck back against the wall again. 

The man’s face is red. He tries to walk to Luck and Finral, but he falls over. He lands on the things that have fallen off the table and glass breaks. 

So much noise. The man is moaning. He tries to get up again, but his hand slips on the wet on the floor. 

Finral is still tugging at the rope.

The smells are overpowering. Luck hides his face in Finral’s shirt so that he can breath his scent. He feels Finral’s heartbeat. He wants Yami to come and fix it and put Luck on his shoulders where he feels the bravest. 

Finral has stopped moving. He’s very still under Luck’s face. His heart beat is fast, and his breathing is loud, but he has stopped tugging the rope.

The noise has stopped. There is only Finral’s heartbeat and his breathing.

It is quiet for a long time. 

Finral says, “I think he’s dead.” It is easy to hear his words when they are the only sound.

Luck looks at the purple man. He is very still. There is glass under his face and he is not moving it away. There is blood on his face too. The table is tipped over. The rainbows on the wall have gone because the glass has broken. 

“I don’t think he’s breathing,” Finral says. 

Finral crawls forward. He does not touch the broken things on the floor. But the rope is too short for him to get to the man. It pulls on his leg and he makes a small small noise. He makes a tight crunched face. His hand that is not holding Luck tries to go back to the rope, but Luck takes this hand too and keeps it in his grip until the tight face goes away. 

“Thanks,” Finral says. Quiet voice.

Finral shuffles back to the wall near where the rope is tied to the silver loop. Luck wants to try to untie it, but Finral is not-looking not-looking not-looking. So Luck leans into Finral and holds on. Finral smells of soap and a little bit of blood now. His clothes are soft on Luck’s cheek. Vanessa makes soft things.

Finral runs his fingers through Luck’s hair. Finral’s heart beat is not so fast. 

Luck does not know how long they sit like this. He wants to stay here and be safe with Finral. But then Finral is moving. 

“Luck. We have to get back.”

Luck knows this. They need to get Yami and Magna and Asta and Vanessa. Luck lifts his head. He goes to stand up. They can get the rope off. They can go past the man, they can get out of this cold room and go home.

Finral says. “We are a long way from the base.”

Luck does not know what this means.

Finral looks at Luck. He looks sad angry again. “You need to get help.”

They need help. They need Yami and Asta and Vanessa. Finral and Luck can get them together. Luck pulls on Finral’s hand.

Finral shakes his head. 

Luck does not understand. He tugs again. They can get Yami together.

Finral is looking at the purple man. “Luck. I can make a portal. A little one. I can make a portal to the base.”

Luck does not know these words either .

“I can only do it because there were so many portals at home. It’s like they all want to go back there. I can make it big enough for you to go through. You have to get Yami.”

Luck tugs on Finral’s hand. They can go together.

“No, Luck. I can’t go. It’s the transportation spell. It’s not the real magic. I can’t do the big portals. I don’t have a grimoire yet. Look.” Finral gets a piece of paper from the floor and there is a charcoal pencil that has rolled off the table. Luck watches as Finral draws a picture on it. Yami called it a map. He draws two dots. “Home. With Yami,” he says, pointing to one dot. “We are here.” The other dot. “And we can’t...” He stops and then says “You… you can’t be away from the amulet long. That’s what Yami said.”

Luck still does not understand. 

Finral gives the paper to Luck. “You have to give it to Yami.”

Luck pulls Finral’s hand. They can go together. Finral can give the paper to Yami.

Finral shakes his head and pulls his hand away. “You Luck. You give it to Yami. I… I’ve got to stay here.”

Luck doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want Finral to stay here. He wants. He needs Finral to come too. Luck knows that Finral can explain. Luck can’t explain. He can’t make Yami know what he needs to know. Only Finral can do that.

Finral is crying. He is sad sad now. Not angry. He is not angry at Luck. He says, “Please. Please Luck. Go through the portal and get Yami.”

Luck wipes the tears from Finral’s cheeks. He wants to know why Finral can’t come too. But he trusts Finral. Luck can get Yami. He wants Finral to come too. But Finral says no. So Luck must do it.

“Go fast, Luck. I don’t think I can keep it open long. Get Yami.”

Luck lets go of Finral’s hand. 

Go fast. Get Yami.

Luck likes Finral’s portals. They shine. This one is bigger than the fireball portals. It is big enough for Luck if he crawls. 

Luck wants Finral to come. He doesn’t want to go on his own. He looks at Finral. Finral’s face is crunched up. His hands are shaking. He says, “Please Luck.” Quiet voice.

Go fast. Get Yami.

Luck crawls through the portal.

He is in the sofa room. He can smell coffee. The carpet is under his fingers. There are no noises. 

Go fast. Get Yami.

When he looks around the portal has already vanished. 

Get Yami. Where is Yami? How can he do what Finral asked when Yami isn’t here? He can’t give Yami the paper. 

Luck opens his mouth and yells. “YA-MI!”

\--

It had been an hour since Finral and Luck disappeared from the front lawn. Yami had lunged at the bench in among the scattered papers and scorched grass. Under the bench was a spent magical transport device It was crude, single use and still warm. Untraceable.

Yami cursed. 

Magna was still screaming, but Asta had gathered him into his arms and let him scream into his chest. Vanessa was already moving into the trees. 

“It was crude,” she said. “It had to be activated from nearby.” She found the crushed grass and remains of a small campsite. 

“Someone was watching them,” Asta whispered in horror. 

“Why?”

Magna’s screams had subsided into sobbing. 

“No. I don’t care about why,” Yami growled. He kicked the stone bench and it tipped over. “I need to know where.”

But how do you trace an untraceable transport device? How do you find two children who could have been taken anywhere in the kingdom? Yami called Julius, who offered all the assistance they needed, but could suggest no way to track them. Noelle and the others were on the way back. They confirmed it looked like the debris from the tower they had investigated. But assuming that whoever took Finral and Luck was the same person they had been investigating, they were ten years behind him. Julius said he would alert the other squads. He would liaise and gather their information and feedback to the Bulls.

And then there was the time. It had taken four hours before the boys had collapsed when Julius had taken the amulet away from the hideout. Four hours for Luck to have a prolonged seizure. For Finral to collapse in pain. Shit. Yami did not even know where to start looking. 

They were already one hour into that countdown. 

Magna was a jittery, silent wreck. He stayed at Asta’s side, either holding his hand or being carried. Yami could hear Asta whisper to him, “It’s going to be okay, Magna. Captain Yami will find them.”

Yami wished he had Asta’s confidence. 

Their first thought was that it was a hostage situation. Someone knew about the amulet, and was going to use Finral and Luck to barter for it. But as the time ticked on, Yami could not help but think that the children had been taken as part of an investigation into how the amulet worked. Perhaps the kidnapper thought that he could get enough information from the boys to work out how the thing did what it did. 

That implied that they did not know about the time issue. Perhaps they did not know what would happen if Finral and Luck were separated from the amulet. And when they found out, it could be too late.

Yami wanted to hit something. Disintegrate something. Anything.

He stalked back out to the garden. Vanessa followed. She could pace as well outside as in. Asta and Magna were not going to let Yami out of their sight. 

They were back at the stone bench when a child yelled.

“YA-MI!”

Yami’s first instinct was Magna, but it had been too far away to be the boy in Asta’s arms. Magna looked just as surprised.

It was loud and shrill and coming from inside the hideout.

Yami was running before realised he did not recognise the voice. He ran faster. Another child? Then his brain figured it out. Luck.

Luck stood in the middle of the common room. Tears ran down his face. “Yami, Yami, Yami,” he murmured. 

Yami swept him up into his arms and held him. Luck sank into the hold, still whispering his name. 

Once Yami had convinced himself that this child felt like Luck and smelled like Luck, he held him out at arm’s length to be sure he looked like Luck too.

Vanessa asked the question they were all thinking, even though they knew that Luck could not answer. “What happened? Luck. Where is Finral?”

Luck wriggled to be put down. This was too much for Magna. “Let me down too,” he demanded to Asta. Once on the ground he walked up to Luck and touched his hair, face, arms and legs. Luck submitted to the inspection with good grace. Once Magna was convinced he burst into tears and hugged Luck. “I’m so glad you’re here,” Magna said as he sobbed into Luck’s shoulder. “But where’s Finral. We need him too.”

Luck looked around the floor and found a crumpled piece of paper that he must have dropped. He handed it to Yami, who flattened it onto the table top. “Shit,” he said. “It’s one of Finral’s maps.”

“But,” Vanessa said as she looked over his shoulder. “If that dot is here. Is he meaning that the other dot is where they were taken? How did Luck get here? Finral’s five. He shouldn’t be able to make that kind of portal.”

“Can’t see what else it could mean. Hey, Luck, did Finral send you through a portal?”

Luck tilted his head and looked at Yami. He took Yami’s hand and pulled him to an empty spot on the floor. Luck crawled a short distance, then stood up and shouted “YA-MI!” again. 

“Well, that could mean Finral made a portal and Luck came out here. And we know where Finral is, because he gave us a map. All we have to do is go and fetch him.”

Yami flipped on the communication disc. Julius answered. He had been joined by Fuegoleon. When they saw Luck, Julius breathed a sigh of relief. “You have them back. Thank goodness.”

“No,” Yami said. “We’ve only got Luck and he can’t tell us what happened. We think Finral made him a portal from here.” He lifted the map and showed the points.

“Finral?” Fuegoleon said once he had inspected the map. “He is one of the children? A child could not make a portal that distance. And create a map? Are you sure this isn’t a trap?”

“An ordinary five year old can’t make a portal across half a country, but he’s made portals in every corner of this base. He could sense them and I don’t think it’s impossible that he could link into them if he had to. And the map is all Finral. He always knows where he is.”

Fuegoleon looked at Julius. The Wizard King said, “I don’t think we can know what someone in this situation is capable of, because we have no historical data. But I agree with Yami. The possibility exists.”

Yami cracked his knuckles. “And even if it is a trap, we’re still going.”

Fuegoleon nodded. “Of course. Where is this map indicating? How quickly can we get there?”

Julius yelled to Marx. “Get Cob in here.”

Vanessa murmured to Asta. “I hate this guy.”

It seemed to take Cob an age to arrive and when he did he took even longer to inspect the map. Luck kept tugging at Yami’s hand and Asta had to explain to Magna that they would get Finral ‘as soon as they could.’ 

Luck’s frustration was building and he was beginning to shock Yami’s hand. “Yeah, yeah, kid. I get it,” Yami said. “Cob. We’ve got a time limit here. Never mind the risk of being away from the amulet, Luck's going to have a meltdown if you don’t hurry the fuck up.”

“Ah… yes… well,” Cob dithered a bit more. “Well. I’m afraid I don’t think I can be much help. He pointed to Finral’s mark. “This is far into the forsaken realm. I’ve never been anywhere near there. My closest marker is at least two hours away. None of the spacial mages in the Capital are likely to have anything closer.”

Yami growled. Vanessa was already rummaging through the papers on the table and found one of the maps that Finral had drawn. She held it out for Cob and Julius. “He said this was what he could feel. He had to draw new pages when there wasn’t enough room.”

Cob murmured, “Well, I never. That’s rather more than I expected.”

Yami felt a surge of pride. “I told you he was good.”

Julius was leaning closer to the image to get a better look at the map. “Look, that’s nearer. Here, and here.”

“Hmm,” Cob said. “Maybe twenty minutes away. I’m sorry.”

“Can’t you use his markers?”

Cob chortled. Yami wanted to punch him. “I’m afraid not. It doesn’t work that way. I use a small magical device to mark my portal locations. Spacial mages work with markers so that they have a connection with the place they are opening a portal.” He shrugged. “Without a strong connection to a place or a person, opening a portal would be impossible.”

“What about Valtoss? He must have been in the forsaken realm. Maybe he would help.”

“I have a map he made for me,” Julius said. Because of course he did. “He did most of his work elsewhere though. I’ll have Marx double check, but I don’t think there was anything closer. 

Yami slammed his free hand onto the table. Luck was still holding the other hand. “Julius. Two hours is too long. It’s already been more than an hour. If we don’t get him back…”

“I know,” Julius said. “Fuegoleon, send someone with Cob through the nearest portal. They can get to the location within two hours, and portal straight back to the hideout.” Julius raised a hand to stall any objections. “We will keep looking for other options. But if we have to send them now.”

“Thanks Julius. Cob. Fuegoleon.”

He closed off the connection. “Shit,” he said. He wanted to hit something. Luck shocked his hand again.

Vanessa said, “I’ve never wanted a drink more.”

Magna was tugging on Asta’s arm, but Asta was ignoring him. Asta looked thoughtful. Yami did not think he’d ever seen quite that look on his face before.

“Spill it, Asta,” Yami said.

“Cob said a strong connection to a place or a person. What if we had a spacial mage with a strong connection to the person? Could that work?”

It took a moment for Yami to realise what Asta was getting at. “You think we should ask Langris?”

“Well, he’s a spacial mage with a strong connection to the person. We could ask.” Asta was already taking out his disc and turning it on.

Yuno answered. 

“Yuno. Hi. Where’s Langris?”

Yuno turned the disc. Langris was sprawled across the bed asleep. He was more dishevelled than Yami ever remembered seeing him. “He’s not been sleeping. Klaus and I got him drunk last night.”

Klaus got involved. Interesting, Yami thought.

“Why are you calling, Asta? I’m not going to wake him up unless it’s something important.”

“It is. Sorry Yuno. Someone took Finral and Luck. They used a magical device that we can’t trace, but Luck came back with a map. We think Finral made him a portal and gave Luck the map so that we could go get him. But none of the spacial mages can get any closer than two hours.”

“You think Langris can do it.”

“Cob said that you need a strong connection to a place or a person. A person, Yuno. Langris has a connection to Finral. Maybe he can make a portal there even if he doesn’t have a marker there.”

“But, Langris isn’t that kind of spacial mage. He doesn’t make portals.”

“Yuno. We need to ask him. Please. We need to get Finral back. When… when they were separated from the amulet the last time, they nearly died.”

Magna gasped. “Died?” he whispered.

“I’ll explain,” Vanessa said. “Let Asta talk first.”

Asta continued speaking to Yuno. “Their years are locked up in the amulet. They can’t go too far away from it until they’re dealt with. Or something. That’s why we all had to come to the infirmary together. Finral knew too. I think that’s why he sent Luck back and not just a message. Yuno, you know what Langris said. We have to at least ask him if he thinks he can do this.”

Yuno nodded. He shook Langris’s shoulders. “Langris. Wake up. It’s the Bulls.”

Langris blinked. He stared somewhere beyond Yuno’s shoulder. 

Yuno tried again, “Langris. Something happened to Finral. You need to wake up.”

Langris turned over and hid his face in his pillow. “Yeah, he turned into a kid, gave himself a concussion and a broken wrist.”

Yami shouted into the communicator, “Hey, asshole. Your brother was kidnapped and we need your help.”

Langris turned over - and looked at the image. “Captain Yami?”

“Kidnapped, Langris. You hear?”

“You let someone kidnap him?”

“Shit. Yes.”

Langris rubbed a hand over his face. “Turned into a kid, concussion, broken wrist, kidnapped. Right.” He took a deep breath. “What do you need?”

Yuno handed him a bottle of water.

“We need a portal to go get him.”

Langris laughed. “You got the wrong person for portals. That’s not what my magic does.”

“We know,” said Yami. “Give him your theory Asta.”

“Cob said that spacial mages can only make a portal to a place or person that they have a strong connection with. I know your magic is different to Finral’s. You don’t make portals to places. But do you think you could make a portal to a person?”

“That’s ridiculous,” Langris said.

“They said there is a time constraint,” said Yuno. “They need to get him back to the amulet or something bad will happen.”

Magna said. “Asta said he would die.”

Langris stared. He was awake now. “Die?”

How many times was Yami going to have to explain this. “Damn. The last time the kids were away from the amulet that started all this, they collapsed after about four hours. Luck had a seizure. If we hadn’t got it back, they could have died. And we don’t know if it’s four hours or less. So we need him back now. That means every option, including Asta’s bizarre magical theories and even asking you, Langris. Do you think you can do this?”

“I’ve… I’ve tried, but the magic doesn't sit that way. I can’t get it to lock into a place. Finral makes it look easy, but I can’t hook it on the way he does.”

“See,” Asta said. “That’s what Cob meant…”

“It isn’t,” Yami interrupted.

“No. See. Langris doesn’t have a connection to places like Finral does. But maybe he does to a person?”

Yuno was saying, “You have no idea what you are talking about, idiot.”

Asta said, “We need to get him back. I’m just trying to think of ideas. Anything you can…”

But Yami was watching Langris. The young man’s expression was thoughtful. 

Yami interrupted again. “Langris. Do you think you can do this?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I don’t know if it can be done.”

“Langris. Asta isn’t exaggerating. They nearly died last time. Finral's just made a portal for Luck across half the country. Something that we know a child shouldn’t be able to do. So he's put himself under even more stress. If you can get there, you might save his life.”

“If I can, how do I get him back? There’s no use me getting there if I can’t get him out.”

“Cob and a Crimson Lion team are on their way via the nearest portal. If you can get to Finral, you can meet them on their way. That’s half the time it will take Cob.”

It was Yuno who answered. "I'll work something out when you get me there Langris.”

“Yuno,” Langris said. “You, you can’t go. It might not work. It’s my brother.”

“Shut up. And you don’t know if you can make a portal that you can go through. But if you can hold it open I can get through. You can follow if you think it’ll hold. Also, it’s my fault you’re hungover.”

Langris stared at Yuno for a moment, then nodded. “On your own head then, if I send you into a mountain.”

Yuno grinned. “I trust you, asshole.”

Yami said, “Damn. Could the flirting be for another time?”

Yuno glared at Yami. Langris looked bemused. “Flirting?”

“God damn. Langris. Stop being clueless. Make a portal already.”

Vanessa said to Yami, “You are a wicked, wicked man. But they are really cute.”

Asta spluttered. “Yuno. And Langris?”

Yami hit them both on the back of the head. “Focus. Rescue Finral first. Mess with Langris and Yuno after.”

Yami regretted throwing Langris for a loop though. It took him a moment to try to collect himself and Yami really needed him on his game here. 

“Yuno, take the disc. The person who took them will still be there. Be ready to fight.”

“Yes sir.”

Langris’s grimoire was out. He said under his breath, “I wish I wasn’t doing this hungover.”

Even on the image, the concentration was apparent on his face. He held his hand out and concentrated. His forms were like Finral’s but had none of his easy confidence. 

There was no portal. Langris let his arm drop. “Shit. My father never knew how hard this stuff is.”

He tried again. Sweat was beading on his forehead. And there, a glimmer. It was faint, but steadying. “Don’t go through,” Langris said to Yuno. “I don’t know if it’s hooked to anything.”

The portal wavered. “Look at his grimoire,” Vanessa whispered.

The pages were flicking. It stopped on a blank page, and as they watched writing appeared on the paper. 

Langris let the portal drop. He braced his arms on his thighs and breathed heavily. “I… I think I had it. Give me a second. I’ll try again.”

When he caught his breath he stood again. This time the glimmer appeared as soon as he put out his arm. He was breathing hard and there was a trail of blood from his lip where he had bitten through. “Go. Go now, Yuno. Can’t keep…”

The image shifted as Yuno grabbed the disc. His footsteps were loud so he had not disconnected. Then nothing.

Shit. 

“What happened?” Magna demanded. “Why did it turn off? Where did Finral’s brother go?”

Asta answered. “It lost connection when it went through the portal. It’s okay Magna. It should reconnect automatically.”

It must have taken only a few moments for the connection to establish, but it felt like it an age. 

The image was dark, but then they heard Yuno say. “What happened here?” 

“We can’t see you, but we can hear you, Yuno,” Yami said. 

The image became light and unfocussed, then solidified to a large room. The walls were old stone. There was a large window with devices hanging from the top. The ground was covered in smashed glass and broken furniture. Luck whined and pulled back on Yami’s hand. So this looked like the place.

“Is Langris...?”

“He did it. He’s here too,” Yuno said. There was the sound of someone throwing up. “I’m going to look around. The place is trashed. There isn’t anyone else here. Just old spellbooks and chemicals.”

He took a few steps away from the disc. “No, wait, there is someone here.”

Yami said, “What is it?”

Yuno moved across the room and crouched down on the ground. The angle of the image made it impossible to see what he knelt beside. “There’s a man here. An old man. He’s dead. He looks like he knocked this stuff over. He’s cold. I can’t see any wounds and there’s no blood. I don’t think anyone attacked him. Maybe a heart attack.” He raised his head to look around, then he said. “Oh, shit.”

Yuno never swore. Never.

Yuno stood and stepped towards the wall. “Langris. Don’t come over here. Shit, wait there.” 

Yami had never heard Mister Cool’s voice so close to panic.

“What is it?” Yami demanded. 

Vanessa had her hand over her mouth. Asta put his hands over Magna’s ears. Luck’s hand tightened in Yami’s.

“Wait there Langris. Give me a minute.” He was crouching down again.

Langris and Yami said, “Yuno.” 

“Damn. Shut up. Give me a minute.”

Langris staggered across the room. “Langris,” Yami said. “Wait. Let Yuno check first.”

“He’s my brother,” Langris snapped. 

Yuno’s voice was so quiet that it was hard to hear over the communicator. “He’s still breathing. Thank god. He’s breathing.”

Langris almost fell down beside Yuno. Yami could hear his intake of breath and panicked exclamation. “We have to get that off him. Yuno. Now.”

“Langris, he’s barely breathing. Look at his colour. I think that’s the least of our worries.”

“Yuno. Get it off him now. Please.”

Yami hated this. He felt sick. He needed to know what was going on, but any time that Langris and Yuno spent explaining was time that they were not taking care of Finral. The kid was in bad shape, that much was clear. But he was breathing. 

Magna whispered, “What’s happening, Asta? What’s wrong with Finral?”

“I don’t know. But Langris and Yuno are looking after him.”

“They need to bring him back here.”

“I know Magna. They’re doing their best.”

Yami heard the sound of cutting and was that sobbing? Langris? 

Yuno said, “It’s off Langris.”

Something was thrown hard across the room with a shout. 

“Talk to me,” Yami said.

“We found him,” Yuno said. “He’s unconscious. His pulse is weak and slow and he’s hardly breathing. I can’t see any injuries. I don’t think we can put him on a broom. I can take him to meet Cob, my magic is faster. But, even then. I might not be fast enough. Unless…”

Yami filled it in, “Unless you bring him here Langris.”

“I don’t know if I can do it again,” Langris was close to panic. It was a tone of voice Yami thought he would never hear from the cold Vice Captain. “I was hooking onto him last time. I could feel him. I don’t feel you, or the base or… He’s so cold, Yami.”

“Langris. Langris. Listen to me. I know you can do this. Finral made a portal there for Luck. Can you feel it? Follow that one.”

“I… I don’t know if I can.”

“Damn it. You put a new spell in your grimoire. Push past your limits. Open a portal and bring him here or he dies Langris. Do it.”

Yuno stood and he had the small, still body in his arms. “Come on Langris,” he said. “I trust you. Finral trusts you.”

Langris stood. He closed his eyes, held out his hand and cast the spell.

The wobbly portal appeared on the image. 

And there was its twin in the centre of the Black Bull’s common room where Luck had reenacted his entrance. “It’s here,” Yami shouted, “Yuno. Come through.”

Yuno had not waited for Yami’s command. He was through before Yami had finished speaking.

Yami only had eyes for the boy. When had Finral got so small? He looked nothing like the boy who had thrown fireballs around the garden. Yuno had been right about his colour. He was grey, his lips dark dusky blue. His arm was hanging loose, the splint that Yami had reapplied after the bath this morning still in place. 

Magna screamed and fought against Asta’s hold. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Asta reassured. “Last time it got better as soon as we got the amulet back. He’ll be okay.”

“Put him down, Yuno.”

Yuno placed Finral on the sofa. The child’s head lolled back and his eyes remained closed. Yami felt for the pulse point at his wrist. Still too slow. There was no change to his breathing.

There was the sound of a stumble and then retching. Vanessa said, “Langris, you did it.”

Luck was beside Yami. He put out a small hand and shocked Finral’s shoulder. No response. “I don’t think that’s gonna work, kid,” Yami said.

“Why isn’t he getting better?” Asta whispered. “He wasn’t away for four hours. It was less time than before.”

“Maybe it was casting a spell as well. Shit.” Even as Yami felt the pulse it was slowing further. “Maybe it was moving him?”

“What else could we have done?” Yuno said.

“Damn,” Yami shouted. “Fuck. Langris. Get over here.”

“Give me and Langris a minute,” Vanessa said. There was the sound of more retching.

“So what do we do? We can’t let him die.” 

“I know, Asta. I’m open to suggestions.”

Langris had been right. Finral was cold. What the hell were they supposed to do? They had done it. They had got there in time. Finral could not die because they had done everything that they needed to.

Asta said, “Put the years back.”

“But they’re in the amulet and…” 

Even as Yami started to object, his brain was running ahead. Could that be it? They knew how to work the amulet, they just did not know which side would return them to adults, and which would keep them children forever. 

But either of those options was better than Finral dying.

“Get it, Asta,” Yami said. 

“Yes sir.” 

“Magna. Luck. If we use the amulet on Finral I don’t know what’s going to happen. It might turn you all back to adults. Or you might stay children.”

“Do you think it will help Finral?” Magna said.

“I don’t know, but he’s sick because he was away from the amulet. The missing years can’t stay in it forever. I hoped we would work out how to give you a choice, but it’s all I can think of.”

“I like being me,” Magna said. “But I think I liked being me when I was big too. And it’s better than Finral being dead.”

“Langris?”

Langris was lifting his head out of the waste paper bin. “I agree with the kid. Do it.”

Yuno said. “If you’re going to do it, do it now Yami. He isn’t breathing.”

Asta burst back into the room. The amulet was unwrapped in his hand. The mana was coming off in sickening waves. Yami nearly gagged. How long had it been like this and they had not realised? If this was the power that was tied to them, it was no wonder Finral had become ill so fast. 

Yuno stepped away from Finral. He bared his teeth as though he were an animal facing something unpleasant. Luck whimpered and Langris muttered, “What the hell is that?” 

Asta was unaffected by the waves of power from the thing in his hand. 

“What do I do?” Asta said.

“Gauche said just touch his skin with it.”

“What side?”

“They both look the same. Pick one Asta.”

Yami felt the need to move away from the amulet too. 

“Asta. Do it now.”

Asta put the amulet against Finral’s hand.

And the whole room was engulfed in light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger? Am I sorry? Nope. Not at all.


	6. Epilogue

Finral’s eyes flickered open.

There is a version of this story where the amulet spun half a turn more, or half a turn less when Julius carried it. Or Asta twisted it once more in his hands as he ran down the stairs, or switched hands as he pressed it onto bare skin. In that version, the extra years were lost into the mana and when Finral’s eyes flickered open they were still five. 

Finral, Magna and Luck grew up in the most chaotic family home ever. Magna stopped talking once when he was eleven and everyone thought he had died. They got to watch Luck learn all the new words, but Yami’s name was always to be shouted as ‘Ya-mi’. They taught him that winning was not the only way to be loved. No one ever hurt Finral like that again, just as Yami promised. Langris learned about being a big brother, and proved that the transportation spell was pretty amazing even if he threw up every time he cast it. Asta learned to swim. Yuno learned there was a time and place for flirting. He was pretty great at it if you asked him, maybe if you asked Langris too. Vanessa learned to make more complex thread boats. The sea battle of the mansion bath tub went in one of the mission reports that Finral wrote. In crayon. Gauche had a heart attack when Marie declared her undying love for Magna. And he for her. Vanessa designed the wedding dress. 

And Yami discovered that the Black Bulls had always been a family. And that Julius was right. This is what it felt like.

\--

This is the other version.

Finral’s eyes flickered open. 

“Hey. Good evening, sleepyhead,” a voice said. Yami.

Someone had been running their fingers through his hair. He only noticed now that they stopped. He was going to try to find the hand, but he was interrupted by the weight of a person throwing themselves on top of him. There was a tangle of legs and arms that felt familiar.

“Finral. You’ve been sleeping forever!”

Luck. 

It was awkward to move underneath his weight, but Finral managed to shuffle around to confirm that the blonde lying on top of him was full sized, honest to goodness grown up, talking Luck.

“Hi Luck. Is har’ to breathe ‘ere.” But he used his free arm to pat Luck’s back rather than push him off.

Luck hugged back tighter.

“Yami,” Finral appealed. “Help.”

It was Magna who came to his aid. He lifted Luck off, but rather than a reprieve he hugged Finral just as hard. Finral struggled to sit so that he could breathe this time. Luck squeezed up beside him.

“Hi, Magna. Luck.” 

“Never, ever do that again,” Magna said. Was he crying? His voice sounded thick with tears. Luck was tight against his arm.

“No. No, I won’t,” Finral said. Then, to Yami, sitting in the corner of the room beside the fireplace, “What am I not doing again?”

“Don’t nearly die, idiot,” Magna said. 

“Okay, Yeah. I’ll try not to do that again.”

Luck shocked Finral’s arm. Finral rubbed it. “Ow, Luck. I won’t. I promise. No nearly dying.”

That seemed to satisfy them both, but it was still a long time before they released their hold. They sat on either side, so that Finral was sandwiched between them. 

“Uh, guys,” Finral said. “Why do I just have a blanket and no clothes?” 

“Because our teammates thought that they’d just change us back to adults without thinking that perhaps the clothes we were wearing were for five year olds and wouldn’t survive the process. I’ve got chaffing,” Magna said. 

Luck giggled, and snuggled in closer to Finral.

Yami said, “Too much information, Magna. He did bring you some clothes though.”

There was a pile of folded clothes on a chair. Magna’s clothes. Luck grabbed them and handed them to Finral. 

It was more effort that Finral thought it should be to slip on a shirt, underwear and pants. He was wobbly, and by the end Magna was doing most of the work. Luck was more of hindrance by refusing to relinquish some kind of physical contact. 

Finral thought he should feel self-conscious. He never changed where people could see. It had been ingrained in him since childhood and…

Oh shit. He remembered. He stiffened and Luck patted his arm in sympathy. Magna said, “Put on pants. Then freak out.”

“We were... Oh god.”

Magna repeated, “Pants first.”

Magna finished dressing him, then pushed him back down to sit. “Now you can freak out.”

The last thing he remembered. There had been a rope around his ankle. Someone. His father? A man. Someone put a rope around his ankle and he needed to get away. He needed to keep Langris safe. 

No. Not Langris. He had to keep Luck safe. He had to get it off…

He did not realise he was clawing at his leg until he felt a hand squeeze around his. It was a big, calloused hand. Not his father’s. Someone was talking. Two people. He could feel them beside him. 

He needed to get it off his ankle.

Someone shocked his arm. 

Luck.

He closed his eyes and breathed. It was Yami’s hand on his. It was Magna speaking. “Yuno took it off. It isn’t there now. Langris made him take it off. There’s no rope Finral.”

Breathe. Just breathe.

“You back in the room?” Yami said.

Finral could not speak, but he nodded. He cracked his eyes open again.

“I didn’t mean you had to freak out,” Magna said. 

“Sorry,” Finral whispered.

“Idiot. Don’t be sorry.” Magna cuffed his arm.

Breathe.

Luck cuddled in close and ran his fingers through Finral’s hair. 

“Yuno? Yuno took it off?” Finral asked when his brain caught up with what Magna said. “What was Yuno doing there? Langris too? What happened?”

“What do you remember?” Yami asked. He had returned to his chair at the fireside. 

“A man. We were in the garden, then… then we were in a big cold room full of tables and he was shouting about the amulet. He went a horrible colour and collapsed. I think he died?” He put his hands over his ears at the remembered sounds. He could feel Luck tense beside him. “I… I made Luck go through a portal. I don’t remember anything after that.”

“You sent Luck here with a map.”

“Oh, I remember making the map. You understood what I meant?”

“Yeah. You were five. You weren’t being complicated.” 

Finral nodded. “I was so frightened. There was…” He reached for his ankle again, but Magna held his hand. “Luck shocked me.”

“You come back when I shock you,” Luck said.

“Yeah. I suppose.”

“We knew where you were," Yami said. "But it turns out none of the spacial mages have ever been near there. Cob and some of the Crimson Lions went to get you.”

“That doesn’t explain Yuno and Langris.”

“Stop being impatient. This is a good story. You can’t hurry a good story. I know you understand that. I’ve read your mission reports.”

“Oh. You were reading them as bedtime stories.”

“Yes. So, listen. Cob could get about two hours out, so they went by broom from there. Then Asta had an idea that only an idiot with no magic could possibly think of. Cob said something off hand, and Asta decided that it was a magical fact. We asked Langris to make a portal to you”

“You… He… What? Langris can’t make portals.”

“Cob said something about needing a strong connection to a person or a place to be able to make a portal. Asta decided that Langris can’t make portals to places, so maybe he can make them to people.”

“I’ve never heard of that.”

“Neither had Langris, or Cob when we asked him later. But Langris did it. He made a portal to the tower. Yuno was with him. You were in pretty poor shape when they found you. We thought it was just being away from the amulet that had done it, but you didn’t get better when Langris sent you and Yuno back here.”

“Wait. Then Langris made a portal here too?”

“He says that he was using your portal to hook in to. You’ll have to ask him, but if he throws up every time he makes one, I think your job is safe.”

“Is he okay?”

“Do I interrupt when you try to tell a story? He’s fine. So. Langris sent you and Yuno back, but it wasn’t like the last time. You didn’t get better. The only thing we could think of was reactivating the amulet. It felt like it was getting unstable.”

Luck shivered against Finral’s side.

“The mana off it was like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Sort of sick. Asta had it in his room and the dense creature couldn’t tell that it was going to burst. Asta did what Gauche said and put it against your skin.”

“How did you know it was going to bring us back to normal?”

“We didn’t Finral. It was a guess.”

“We could have been stuck as kids.”

“I liked being a kid,” Luck said. He patted Finral’s arm. “I had fun.”

“It was better than you being dead,” Magna said.

“But… but… you would have been… You shouldn’t have just chanced it and been stuck..”

“You were going to die,” said Magna.

“But your magic. You and Luck. What were you going to do without your proper grimoire magic? You’d… We… Where would we have gone. We couldn’t stay here if we had no real magic.”

Yami said, “Luck, shock him again.”

Luck did.

“Ow.”

“Listen, Finral. Magna is right. We decided. I’d rather have all three of you five years old than lose any of you. Got it. This is your home.” He sighed. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you. You are never to repeat it to anyone. Any of you. Finral Roulacase. You are more important than just a convenient means of travel.”

Luck giggled even though Yami was looming over them and pulling on the dark magic.

Finral yawned. "Thanks Yami." 

"You're welcome. Now forget you ever heard it." 

"Sure." 

Magna took over the story, “And that’s it. There was a flash of light, and, bang, grown up magic knight again. Squished into clothes that do not fit.”

“So,” Finral yawned again. “So, where is everyone else?”

“They got fed up watching you sleep,” Yami said.

“And Asta gets loud when Yuno is here,” said Luck. “So Yami told them to go and eat and not to come back until you woke up.”

“Do you think you can say awake long enough to talk to Langris? Because he isn’t going to leave until he’s talked to you. And Yuno isn’t going to leave without him. And we need a break from ‘I’m going to be the next Wizard King’ from Asta.”

“What? You want me to talk to Langris? So that Yuno will go home? I missed stuff, didn’t I?”

“Oh, yes Finral, you could say that,” Magna said in a tone that could only be described as lewd.

“Oh, god. I don’t want to know, do I?”

“Nope,” said Luck.

“I’ll go get them,” Magna said and jumped up. 

“Tell them to be…” Yami started to say, but Magna was out of the door before he could finish. “Well, never mind. Enjoy your last quiet for a while, Finral.”

”Yami,” Finral said. “Who was the old man?”

Yami leaned back into his chair and drank his beer. ”Fuegoleon and Cob checked out the tower and his body. They confirmed it was the same man Noelle and the others had followed to that other tower. The writing and the devices all look the same. It looks like he’d been researching ways to prolong life, probably because the bastard was like two hundred years old. He’d created a potion that could keep him alive but only if he took it every few days. Fuegoleon thinks that he risked it all on a gamble to get the amulet.”

“He was looking for something on the tables, before he… before he collapsed.”

“That was probably the potion. We don’t know if he was going to try to ransom you to get the amulet, or if he thought he could work out how it worked.”

“He kept saying he would find out how it worked. But it didn’t make any sense. Then he had the rope and… I didn’t hear anything else.” He shivered and concentrated on just breathing for a moment. Stop thinking about it.

Luck squeezed against Finral’s side again. To distract himself he said, “Did you really not talk when you were five?”

Luck shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe not. I remember being confused a lot the first time. Scared. I didn’t feel like that with you guys. You were fun. Safe.”

“You were fun too. Quieter than Magna.”

“Magna told Fuegoleon, Charlotte and Nozel that they were a bit boring. It was the best thing ever. You were sleeping.”

Finral took a moment to imagine that. He hoped his mental image was as fabulous as the real thing. 

“He thinks he can’t ever go back to the Capital. But Asta says he was cute, so it's probably okay.”

When the others arrived, they were just as loud as Yami had warned. Vanessa hugged Finral hard, Charmy had snacks for everyone, Gordon murmured happily and even Gauche looked like he only wanted to kill half of them. Noelle took her turn for a hug, to be followed by Asta, then Vanessa again. Finral felt his head spinning with them all. He needed to sleep.

On the edge of the whirlwind of ecstatic Black Bulls, Langris was lingering at the door. Yuno stood nearby. 

“Hi, Langris,” Finral said when he had a moment for breath during Vanessa's enthusiastic description of ‘that’ incident with the Captains. She hushed.

“Hi Finral,” Langris said. “I’m… I’m glad you’re not dead.”

“Hey. Me too.” Finral felt himself blush. It was more effort than it should be to push himself up from the sofa. Luck might have given him a shove and he stayed close as Finral staggered to his brother. Langris took a step forward to meet him.

“Finral,” Langris said as he grabbed him. “You. Sit down before you fall down.”

“‘M fine. You made a portal.” Finral wrapped his arms around his brother. He had probably crossed that exhaustion line where good decisions were just a memory. “Thank you.”

Langris might have cast a panicked glance at someone over Finral’s shoulder. Yami, maybe if the chuckle was anything to judge.

“You are insufferable,” Langris muttered and shoved Finral onto a convenient chair. 

Finral pulled Langris down with him. “I m’ssed you,” he said as leaned into Langris’s warmth. “Than’ you.”

Finral’s eyes were closing. Sleep was tugging him again.

He felt the weight of a blanket across his legs. He was warm and safe. His brother was there. His whole family. 

As he fell asleep, he felt more than heard Langris say, “What am I supposed to do with you now?”

\--

Finral was warm. The room was only lit by the dwindling fire and he could feel the slow breathing of someone sleeping nearby. For a moment he expected to see Luck’s blond hair and feel the familiar tangle of limbs. 

Then his brain caught up. He had been five years old, with Magna and Luck. He could remember the magic, so many sugary breakfasts, climbing trees, going to the roof with Yami. 

And, oh god, the water on his face in the bath, hiding on the top of the furniture, trying to conceal the bruises. Shit. The rope.

“Finral,” the person tucked beside him said with a yawn. “Brother. You think too loud.”

“Langris?” Finral tried to scramble away, but Langris put an arm on top of him.

“Lie still. I’m sleeping.”

“But… but… You stayed.”

“You fell asleep on top of me and then no one would let me move. Well, Luck wouldn’t let me move. He’s still very bossy.”

“Is everyone here?”

“I think Yami sent them all to their rooms. They couldn’t remember where your room was, so they just left you here. On top of me. Is that a thing? Losing bedrooms?”

“The base shifts around. It’s almost been a week, so my room could be anywhere. You get used to it.”

Langris’s hum was unconvinced.

Finral lay and listened to Langris breathe. He was just drifting back to sleep, when Langris said. “I… I didn’t work it out. I’m sorry.”

Now it was Finral’s turn to say, “Hmm. What?”

“All of it. Why we were… why we were what we were. What we are.”

Finral opened his eyes again. The fire had burned low but the embers still had enough light that he could see Langris’s features in its glow. “Not sure I follow,” he lied.

“All of this. Of us. I didn’t know what happened back then when we were kids. No. That’s not true. I did know what happened. I knew all of it, and I... I chose my own truth. I’m… I’m sorry. I should have trusted you.”

Oh, god. Was Langris crying?

Perhaps it was a residue of being a small child twelve hours ago, but the instinct to envelope his brother in a hug was too overwhelming to resist. Langris did not protest. He curled into Finral’s arms and yes. He was crying.

“Shhh. It’s okay. You know it’s okay.” Finral did not want to be thinking about this. He was too tired and Langris should not ever be this emotional. “Langris. It’s done. We aren’t there any more. They. He can’t get us. Can’t get near me. The Bulls won’t let them.”

“Yami said he wouldn’t be responsible for what happens if he… if father ever goes near any of them.”

“That’s Yami’s way of saying that he’ll kill him. The rest would help with the bodies. You’ve met them. You believe them.” It was not a question.

“I believe them.” 

Finral let Langris’s breathing calm before he said, “I can’t have been much older than five when I realised that… that they weren’t going to do the same things to you. You did your first spell and it was just what he wanted. He was so pleased. And I remember thinking that it would be okay to… to just not be there. Be somewhere else. Hide where he could never find me, because they wouldn't hurt you like that. I stopped trying to protect you. I didn’t know if it was the right thing. I’m sorry. I just. I just couldn’t.” He swallowed. “I still have nightmares about that rope.” He shuddered and Langris…

Langris ran his fingers through Finral’s hair. 

“Luck…” Finral started to say as his breath caught in his throat. He put his hand to Langris’s.

Langris’s smug smile was clear even in the shadows. “Fair’s fair, brother. You taught him.”

“I did, didn’t I.” Finral sighed. “You know, I think it’s going to be okay. Like there are worse things. I’m never going to live down climbing on the furniture and there was a whole… thing in the bath but…”

Langris understood. “But Magna told the three most powerful mages in the country that they were a bit boring and he’d see them later. You should hear Vanessa's impression.”

“Exactly. I don’t think Magna can ever go back to the Capital. And I… I found my brother. I think it was a win, Langris.”

“Yeah, Finral. It was a win. Go back to sleep.”

\--

Yami woke before daybreak the next morning, even without his Magna alarm clock. He found Langris and Finral still asleep in the common room. Children, he thought as he went for a cigarette.

_End_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we reached the end. Whew. Thank you again Fairytail1230 for being the most marvellous beta reader and catching the spelling errors and the weird mistakes. 
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments. They are so very motivating when trying to fight my way through proofreading. I love that people have enjoyed reading something I wrote.
> 
> Please, drop me a note in the comments to let me know what you thought. I've got lots of headcanons about this story, so I'd be delighted to just ramble at people if you're interested. But, also, a comment that says, "I read this" is fantastic too. Anyone who gets to the end of 50k words must have enjoyed it a little bit and I'd like to thank everyone individually. But even if you silently read and enjoyed, thank you for coming on this journey with me.


End file.
